Chemicals
by ZeldaLover29
Summary: Zelda goes to the top private school available. Even so, it does not challenge her. When a strange boy knocks on her window, begging for help, she discovers all excitement she could want follows. And then some.
1. Chapter 1: The Boy

**I'm baaaack. **

**WEDNSDAY**** NIGHT**

**The boy**

It was a typical Wednesday night. Zelda was hunched over her desk in an effort to study, her chemistry notes scrambled out before her. Zelda sighed loudly and leaned back in her chair. She was in her dorm room of the most advanced school she could get into, and yet, with all the classes, the studying, and experimenting, she was bored. It had somehow fallen back into routine. Zelda was wearing her favorite jeans and shirt with a peace sign on it, which was supposed to be lucky but it wasn't working today.

It was _defiantly_ not working today.

She stood up and opened the curtains, letting some of the moonlight in. She was on the ground level, and she had a door leading to the outside. The door was a sliding door made of glass. Most of the time she wanted to leave through it, but then she wouldn't be in the most advanced school anymore. She turned around and began to walk back toward her studying, when…

_Thump._

A soft sort of tap came from the glass door. Zelda turned around again, her heart leaping at the chance to get some excitement. And there, on the glass door, was a boy.

He was pressing on the door with both his hands. He was very white in the face. He wore an old T-shirt and some jeans. When he looked up and saw Zelda there, he did not speak. He didn't even flinch at the sight of her. Zelda looked directly into his eyes, and began to walk slowly toward him. He was taller than her, but was bending down so it was hard to tell. He must have been tired.

She was right next to the glass. Now that she was close enough, she could see that he had been running for a long period of time. His eyes followed her. They were pale blue, but there was something more to them than just that. His eyes were begging for her to let him in. they were speaking to her without actually talking.

_Help me!_

Zelda didn't need to be asked twice. She could tell that this wasn't a trick and that he was not going to hurt her. She reached for the lock and swung the door open. Cold air burst into the room.

The boy collapsed into her room and lay motionless, and only now that Zelda looked close enough she saw tiny cuts on his skin. The cuts looked as if somebody had made them with needles or small knives. Not long scrapes, but looked as if they were pressed deep into his flesh. Curious, she shut the door behind him. She closed the curtains for complete privacy. She picked the boy up around the waist and heaved him onto the bed, and he was lighter than she expected. Zelda began to examine him. She lifted up the mop of brownish-blond hair that covered his fore head. Peering closely, she saw more tiny cuts made just below where his forehead meets his hair. She dropped his bangs, and, feeling a little sickened, decided to keep him in her dorm for his safety.

It was a much better decision than putting him back where he came from, because he was obviously not treated well there. She took a cushion off the couch and placed it next to her bed, making a nice little mattress for the boy. She tried not to think about what the boy had been through, or if he hadn't had pain medication or…

Zelda shuddered. It was an unpleasant topic. She sort of rolled the boy off her bed and onto the couch cushion, and then tried to arrange his limbs in a comfortable position. After doing so, she had nothing else to do but be consumed by her thoughts. She felt very little fear, just disgust and curiosity. She also felt sorry for the boy, but even angrier at how he had been treated. This was curious, because she didn't know him in the slightest. She sat down on her bed, trying to find one word for how she felt, and eventually her thoughts drifted back to her chemistry notes. She fell asleep.

**Right on time for Halloween! Well, not really, but this is going to be a creepy story. **

**In all honesty, my sister helped me with this. She desperately wanted to type something up, (And since I seem to have writers block...) She's writing and I'm editing. **

**Well, was it good?  
**


	2. Chapter 2: Questions

**In case none of you guessed, this IS an Alternate Universe story. However, there are some things to hint that nothing in Hyrule has changed. It's like Hyrule with modern clothing and no mystical fortune tellers or monsters. **

**...Yet.  
**

**THURSDAY MORNING**

**Questions **

Zelda woke up.

Well obviously, she woke up. It WAS morning, after all. She opened her eyes. The boy was awake, too, but he did not greet her when he saw her, nor did he explain himself. He didn't even thank her for letting him in. In fact, he didn't say anything. He just nodded at her. She smiled at him, and said,

"Good morning."

He gave her a look mixed with confusion and curiosity. Zelda sat up.

"My name is Zelda. What's yours?" she tried to smile again, but it was getting harder. The boy shook his head, and still said nothing. She tried to keep her temper down.

"Can you speak?" she asked, and the boy just sat there staring at her. An awkward silence followed. Zelda felt her cheeks get red from embarrassment. She didn't know why she was embarrassed; maybe it was the way the boy looked at her. It was unnerving, as if he knew everything about you that you _didn't_ want people knowing. Then the boy nodded his head, and again, said nothing. She threw her arms into the air.

"Then talk!" she yelled, slamming her hands back at her side and eying him angrily. He didn't even flinch. He just stared at her like a confused child. Zelda sighed and flung off her covers, deciding that that the boy wouldn't talk any time soon. Apparently anything that happened to him was too traumatizing.

The boy's pale blue eyes changed and then stared at her with mild interest. Zelda smiled at his expression. He reminded her of a playful dog.

As Zelda walked across the room, the boy's strange yet friendly eyes followed her. Zelda's mind again drifted to the boy's injures. He seemed to be better today. Zelda picked up a chemistry note on the way to her dresser, and read it over. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the boy stand up. He peered at the notes and made a noise of mild curiosity,

"Um…"

Zelda looked up.

"Oh, these are my chemistry notes!" she said, smiling at him. She felt better now that he had talked. Granted, it wasn't really a word, but it was a sound. It made him seem less hollow and creepy. The boy turned his head to the side slightly and looked at it with an expression she could not describe. It was almost like he was angry at the notes, but at the same time; scared.

"I have a test today! It's on chemistry…"

The boy looked up at her. Zelda glanced at the note and back at the boy.

"Chemistry? You know… chemicals?"

She suddenly regretted saying that, because it seemed to have an effect on the boy. His eyes widened a little bit, and then he turned away. He sat back down on his couch cushion and stared out the crack in the window, apparently now very interested in the weather. Zelda put her note back on the table.

"You'll stay here." she said, and the boy nodded without looking at her. Zelda opened the door leading to the rest of the school. "I'm going to go to class. Don't leave."

The boy nodded, and again, he did not look away from the window. Zelda slipped out the door. The boy's behavior did not worry her, nor did the fact that she was hiding him in her room. It was the boy himself. Especially his eyes…they were unnatural. She closed the door behind her. She had no doubt that he would be OK.

**THURSDAY-SCHOOL HOURS**

**The test **

Zelda sat down in chemistry. She was unnaturally quiet, as you might have guessed. Her friend, Siera, sat next to her. Siera lived in the hidden village. As Zelda's mind drifted back to her dorm, Siera was rambling on and on about some new guy.

_I wonder how he's doing…_ she thought, picturing him bored on his cushion. _Maybe he's having an awful flash back…or he might be eyeing my chemistry notes…_

She could picture him doing so many things, some stuff more inappropriate than others. Routing through her underwear drawer was definitely a thought that crossed her mind… but that was unlikely.

"-Don't you think?"

"Huh?"

Zelda snapped back to her chemistry class, which would begin in a few minutes. Siera was smiling and shaking her head at her, her white-blond hair rippling down her back.

"I asked you if you think he sounds nice. Gee, Zelda, you just aren't with me today!"

"If who sounds nice?" asked Zelda, and she received an exasperated look from Siera. Her eyes were oddly brown, clashing with her hair, and she was using them to search Zelda's puzzled face.

"Jonathan. He's new. He has amber hair and green eyes. He's the quiet type." Siera said, putting her head in her hands. "What's on you're mind? You're awfully quiet."

Zelda flushed.

"Nothing's on my mind!" She nearly shouted, and Siera cocked her head to one side. She smiled smugly at Zelda, because her sudden outburst was as good as an explanation. Zelda slumped against her chair and let out a big breath.

"A boy." she admitted. It wasn't a total lie. Siera's eyes widened and her smug smile turned into an enthusiastic grin.

"Ooh! Zelda got a crush!" Siera squealed, shaking her white hair out of her eyes. She whirled around, nearly knocking her chair over. Her flower-patterned sundress flew out around her.

"Hey! SARIA!"

A female kokiri looked up from her book. She had short, green-as-grass hair that matched her green shirt and overalls. It curled around her chin, and that only emphasized the hugeness in her eyes. Saria closed her book and stood up. She was much younger than Zelda, but she acted older than she was. She walked over, blinking in curiosity.

"What's up?" she asked when she reached them.

"Zelda's got a crush!" Siera cried, gesturing to Zelda, who was sliding down her chair and turning red. Saria's eyes lit up.

"What's he look like?" she asked, putting her hands on her cheeks. She wore a small smile on her lips. Zelda put a hand on her forehead in exasperation. She closed her eyes. _They could know…_ she thought, thinking of all the secrets they had kept. _They're my best friends…they can keep a secret…_

But something told her not to tell. She opened her eyes and sat up strait in her chair.

"He's from Hyrule!" she told them with a proud tone. "He didn't get into the school. He's a Hylian Knight in training, so he couldn't come."

_Keep it believable… _She told herself, looking at her friends eager faces. _They can't know I'm making it up! _

"He has brown hair and blue eyes." She finished, folding her hands in her lap.

"He sounds very cute!" Saria said, blushing slightly. "I wish I'd known him!"

Siera yelped and pointed at Saria.

"Saria's got a crush!" she squealed.

Saria fiddled with her hair.

"I've never actually met him before; I just said he looked cute…" She whispered. Siera put her hands into the air in triumph.

"You DO have a crush!" she squealed, rushing around Zelda's desk and grasping Saria around her shoulders. "We all have crushes!"

"I don't really," said Saria, but Siera did not let go. "I really DON'T!"

She said it louder this time and Zelda couldn't help but to laugh. And then the bell rang. The talking around the room stopped, there was a great scuffle of feet as students rushed back to their seats, and the last paper airplane was shoved into a book bag.

A tall, hook nosed woman walked in. when you imagine an old hag, this was it. The short, frizzy gray hair, the long, sagging face, and the bony hands. This woman had it all.

"Good morning, class." She said in a crisp, dry, voice. "Today you will be taking your test."

Half of the class gasped. It was supposed to be a surprise test, but it had all fallen back into routine for Zelda. She simply sat there, staring blankly at the teacher, waiting for her to hand it out.

Her teacher hobbled around the room, handing out the papers. She dropped one onto Zelda's desk with such low enthusiasm, she was almost the very definition of apathy. Zelda knew she hated her job, the kids in her class, the class room…everything but the subject. Her teacher loved chemistry.

Zelda picked up her test and leaned back in her chair.

_Question 1,_

_What two chemicals make salt? _

_sodium and _  
_

Zelda poked her head with her pencil, trying to remember. One was a poison; the other was an explosive…or was it another poison?

Zelda shook her head and moved onto the next one. The next one was even harder. Zelda wished she'd studied more.

Next to her, Siera raised her hand.

"Professor? Question seven isn't fair –most of us haven't read the legend. Can we skip it?" She asked in an oh-so-innocent voice. There were murmurs of agreement. Zelda heard Saria say,

"There are no chemicals in the making of the tri-force, or the ocarina. Look, I have one, and not a chemical to be found!"

Saria almost never spoke out against a teacher. She always was quiet and shy, always wanting to get on the teacher's good side. The question must have really been unfair, and Zelda began to look down at it.

"QUIET!" rasped the teacher. Zelda's head shot back up before she could read it, and Saria shoved her ocarina into her pocket immediately, her ears turning scarlet.

"Question seven will be graded. That is that."

The teacher resumed looking through a science book, and Zelda looked down on her test.

_Question 7_

_The tri-force contains 3 chemicals to be able to create ultimate power. Name them all._

_What chemicals did the hero of time use in his ocarina to permit him to travel through time? _

Zelda stared in disbelief at the paper. It wasn't chemicals at all that the tri-force was made out of; it was power, wisdom, and courage. Zelda had memorized the legends of the hero long ago. She loved the stories.

And then she felt a sudden prick in her hand that caused her to yelp. Luckily, everybody was so frustrated with the test that they didn't notice, except the teacher, who glared. Zelda slowly went back to her work, blushing furiously. Then she knew it –the answer to the problem. She scribbled it down. It was so obvious; she was wondering why she didn't see it all along. It was like a fire cracker set off right in front of her nose.

_Question 7_

_The tri-force contains 3 chemicals to be able to create ultimate power. Name them all.- __Power, wisdom and courage._

_What chemicals did the hero of time use in his ocarina to permit him to travel through time?- __The chemical of time._

It was so darn obvious. It wasn't even fully true; there was no 'chemical of time'… just time. Zelda smiled as she wrote down the rest of the answers, which seemed to come to her naturally.

Zelda turned in her test and walked out of the room when class was over. She intended to check on the boy, but Siera stopped her by grabbing her shoulder. Saria was next to her.

"C'mon to lunch." She said, smiling. "They have sherbet today!"

Saria nodded. "It's green and flavored like lime."

"But…"

Her protests were useless. Zelda sighed and agreed to come to lunch.

…

In the lunch room, Zelda took two sherbets and a salad. She sat down next to her friends.

"I thought you only eat one sherbet." Siera said, jabbing her fork at Zelda's extra one.

"Um… I'm hungry."

"But I thought you were on a diet!" Saria gasped. "You said only one helping of desert!"

"Diets off for now." Zelda dismissed the fact that she had taken two sherbets on her diet and began to eat her salad. In truth, she was bringing the extra one to the boy. She couldn't expect him to eat dust off the carpet!

While Siera stood on her head and balanced a bowl of soup on her feet, Zelda ate her food quickly. The salad was pretty good, but she picked out the pickles and gave them to Siera.

When her bowl was empty, she stood up.

"I forgot something in my room." She lied, and despite her friend's protests, she walked out of the room with her sherbet in hand.

…

Zelda entered her room. The boy was lying curled up in a corner, staring at the floor.

"I brought you some food." Zelda said. He looked up. Zelda cautiously approached him.

"Hm." The boy turned away and faced the wall. Zelda smiled kindly and placed the sherbet down a few feet away from him.

"Eat it when you get hungry."

Zelda walked out of her room, and as she closed the door, the boy looked up. He gripped his hand and whispered a few words.

"You're not going to force me to?"

For a week it went on like this, with Zelda coming in after lunch and giving him a sherbet, or a small pack of carrots, or maybe a sandwich or two. It became another routine to Zelda. She gave the boy food, his expression never changed, and then Zelda went off to her next class only to find the food gone by bed time. The boy often slept or hid under the bed. He never looked Zelda in the eye and he never faced her, nor would he go near her.

Tuesday was different.

On Tuesday, during the night, the boy was sleeping next to the bed. Zelda heard him stir. She looked at him from her desk where she was studying English.

He appeared to be asleep, but he looked distressed and was sweating.

"Boy?" Zelda asked. He rolled over and faced away from her. But he was asleep…

Suddenly, the boy started screaming. In his sleep.

"N…o… No!" He moaned. He started screaming again. His cuts looked deeper. His hand was gripping his other hand and the nails were biting into the flesh.

Zelda ran to him and grabbed his shoulder.

"Boy! Hey!" She yelled. She was almost as pale as him.

His eyes popped open. His breathing was heavy; ragged.

He saw Zelda and yelled again, jumping out of her grip and backing into a corner.

Zelda must have looked upset, but the boy just curled up into a ball and hid his head in his knees.

Until the next Thursday, things remained the same again. The teacher announced that the lab rats would be ready to test on in a day. Zelda had received a particularly hard test in chemistry, but was sure she had gotten it all right. In fact, all her classes had started getting easier since her hand had prickled.

**I wonder what's eating him? **


	3. Chapter 3: Lab Wolf

**Finally, we'll find out 'the boys' name. Read and enjoy. We had a lot of tests this past week, so it was hard. Beware spelling errors.  
**

**THURSDAY AFTERNOON**

**Lab Wolf**

Zelda turned in her weekly test with a gloating smile. Her lucky peace shirt had worked again. She finished so early, she could run back to her dorm and check on the boy before she brought him something from lunch. She glanced up at the clock. She had at least twenty five minutes.

She ran along the neatly polished corridor, hoping not to come upon an unpleasant sight when she entered the dorm. A few people asked her what she was doing out of class, and she had to respond fully that she finished her test early, so she got to her dorm a little later than she would have liked. She turned the brass doorknob to her room and pushed it open. The little light that shone through the curtains illuminated the entire room. The boy sat in a shadowy corner, facing her. His blue eyes shone oddly out of the shadows, as if he could live in them.

He smiled when he saw her. The first smile.

It was a very small smile, but it made her feel safer, trusted. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. It shut with a swish and a click.

The boy stood up and in the sudden light, Zelda saw the cuts on his arms more vividly than she would have liked.

"Hello." She said softly. The boy raised his hand in a small wave.

"Unh…" he half glanced at her chemistry notes. Zelda shook her head.

"If it bothers you, then don't look at them. They won't hurt you." She said, taking a step toward him. He did not move or flinch. Zelda took this as a good sign and moved closer to him.

"Chemicals hurt." he whispered, still looking at the notes. Zelda stopped abruptly. She had hardly heard him. His voice had been so quiet, fearful.

"What?" she asked. Her voice, too, was quiet in curiosity. He turned to face her.

"_Shadowfilius crystalian._" He said. He lifted up his bangs to reveal a bigger cut on his forehead. It looked disconcertingly like a burn. It was shaped like an oval, as if something was pushed inside with dark magic, like in all the stories. Zelda hadn't noticed it before. "It's a…chemical." He added.

Zelda stood there, dumbstruck. What could this mean? The boy let his hand fall back at his side and his bangs once again covered the mark on his forehead. Zelda stopped staring. And the boy… he had trusted her enough to speak to her. That was really something.

Zelda reached out to touch his arm, to feel the cuts with her own hands, to try to understand what they were, even though they disgusted her. But the boy backed away.

"No." he said, taking another step back. "You can't… I won't have… any… more."

He put his hands out in front of himself to prevent her from touching him. He didn't react to loud noises, even fast movements. Just contact with his skin.

"I'm not going to hurt you." Zelda said, taking another step closer. The boy shook his head again, now backed against a wall.

"They always say that… they always… it always hurts!" he sank against the wall, gripping his hair. "Always…" He was shaking now. Zelda walked toward him, her arms wrapped around herself. She wouldn't touch him. She didn't even want to go near him –he frightened her. And yet…something about him made her draw nearer. She crouched down next to him. He pressed himself against the wall in an attempt to get away, not looking at her.

"What happened to you?" she whispered. The boy squeezed his eyes shut, his breathing shallow.

"I won't tell you." he said flatly. Zelda leaned closer.

"Tell me what happened." She said. "I need to know."

The boy's eyes opened. Zelda nearly jumped back in surprise –his eyes were such a shockingly bright blue. No matter how often she saw them, they always made her jump. They stared at each other, their noses inches apart.

"_Shadowfilius crystalian._" He repeated. "Not… fun…" His breath was wretched, as if he had not brushed his teeth in months. She resisted the urge to recoil.

Zelda felt like she knew what was going on, and yet it was still out of reach. It was like a movie with all the information in it, but it refused to play on the screen, and all the people would yell for it to work, all so disappointed...

"Tell me more." Her voice was barely a whisper, as she searched the boy's face. She saw multiple strange cuts, but resist showing any signs of disgust. She had to know what this meant.

"They..." He paused for a moment, but not for dramatic effect. He looked like he had swallowed a brick whole. "They… prick… and …and…chemicals…"

He trailed off and looked away again, obviously uncomfortable with this topic. Zelda leaned back, still looking at him.

"Who's 'they'?" She asked, but the boy did not speak.

Zelda's eyes widened, as she answered her own question.

"You're their lab rat!" She gasped, leaping to her feet. The boy closed his eyes.

"Wrong." He said. He opened his eyes and faced Zelda. "Lab wolf."

"I don't understa-" Zelda began. He cut her off.

"_Shadowfilius crystalian_." He said a little louder, pointing to his fore head. "I'm a lab _wolf_."

Zelda slowly sank back onto her knees. This boy had gone crazy, she could tell…

She could not blame him, though, for what had supposedly happened to him.

"I have one more question." She said. The boy sat up straighter, but not because he was eager.

"I'm ready." He said, his face dead serious. Zelda could tell he did not want her to think poorly of him, and to not think of him as helpless. He must have felt her uneasiness.

She nodded.

"All right, then." She said, looking him straight in the eye. "What's your name?"

The boy looked taken aback. His serious expression vanished to be replaced by shock.

"I have none." He stammered. "I don't have a name… I have a number, like the kind they give people when they're…a number… but not a name…"

He fidgeted uncomfortably.

"From what I remember… I never had a name…"

"What did they call you?" Zelda asked. The boy seemed not to know how to respond.

"After…" he pointed to his forehead, "after that one, I was called the link… "

He swallowed, glancing around the room.

"I was the link between man and…man and wolf…"

An awkward silence followed. It was only beginning to make sense; there was still so much to find out. And she couldn't know that everything he said was sane. The boy looked like he was thinking hard.

"My name is… Link." he said, staring at the floor, his eyes narrowed. He looked up at Zelda. "Tell me yours."

Now Zelda was shocked. She told him her name earlier. She had never thought the boy would ask that… but no, he was not 'the boy' anymore. He was Link. It was only fair to tell him her name, too. Even if he already knew. Did hearing her voice steady him? Even just a little? She hoped so.

"I'm Zelda." She said. And to her surprise, the boy smiled.

"I like that name." he said, his eyes searching her face. "Much nicer than Link."

"Link's a fine name." Zelda protested. "It's so unique."

She stood up.

"You're leaving again."

Zelda sighed. How did he know? He wasn't even acting human.

"Yes…" Zelda said. "I'll be back later."

The boy frowned.

"Alright. You'll… I'll send you a message."

"I'll be back soon enough. You don't need to write a letter." Said Zelda, smiling. The boy leaned forward until he was on all fours, one hand on top of the other.

"Not that kind of message…bye, then."

"Bye." Zelda said a she slipped out the door.

It was strange… it was almost as if she was beginning to like Link. Maybe it was just that she felt she had to take care of him.

**Link's so cute. **

**BTW, my little sister made a comic about her response to constructive criticism. Or, rather, what her funny reaction is. It's on my DeviantArt page, if you want to see it. (The link to it is on my profile page.) **

**Ack! Self advertising! Look away!  
**


	4. Chapter 4: Some Scary Answers

**I'm sorry it's late. This was hard to edit, and it was a busy two weeks. Lots of homework. BUT, it's here now, so that's good, right? **

**Right...? **

**Right...? **

**Right...? **

**Oh, never mind.  
**

**THURSDAY EVENING**

**Some scary answers**

As Zelda walked out of her last class that day, she did not walk to dinner like she was supposed to. She had to check on Link.

"Hey, girlfriend! Where are you going?"

Zelda turned around. Siera was smiling and waving. Next to her was Saria.

"She's mad at you." Saria called. "You missed her show at lunch; she balanced a watermelon on her nose."

"No way! An entire watermelon? Get out!"

Zelda nearly forgot where she was supposed to be going.

"Yes. It's going down in history!" Declared Siera. "By the way, where ARE you going?"

Zelda flushed.

"I'm… I forgot something in chemistry class…" She mumbled.

"Ah, poo. I hate that crabby old lady." She mumbled, and then called back to Zelda,

"All right, then, you get your stuff! But today I'm going to try to flip pizza dough with my pinky, and you'd better not miss it!"

Zelda smiled and rolled her eyes. Saria and Siera turned around and began to walk toward the lunch room, with Saria reassuring Zelda that they'd save her seat as the both of them disappeared around a corner. Zelda turned around and ran toward the chemistry room. The teacher would probably still be there.

She sped along the hall. The chemistry room was number 298, and she was at 290 now…

Zelda skidded to a halt at the class room. She peered inside. The teacher was still looking over a test sheet, sourly marking answers as correct. She hated students being right. Zelda opened the door.

"Um… Ms.-"

"Zelda, if you want something, you should have asked me in class. I'm not giving any more advice on homework. "

She said this without taking her eyes off her paper. Her pen scribbled down a correction.

Zelda felt her cheeks grow hot.

"I didn't come for homework. I needed to know-"

"I'm not letting you correct test answers either, Zelda. You had a chance in class to figure out the answer. "

She continued to write down checks and X's.

Zelda's eyes narrowed.

"It's about a chemical reaction."

The teacher stopped writing. She slowly put her pen down and turned her chair to face Zelda.

"Spit it out. I don't have all day."

"I wanted to know what …_shadowfilius crystillian _means."

"My goddess, Zelda! Where did you learn a word like that?" The teacher exclaimed, slamming her hand down on the table in shock.

"Uh…nowhere. Just tell me, please." Said Zelda calmly, despite her burning to desire to find the answer and strangle her mentor for it. The teacher obviously didn't like to be bossed around. She frowned and said sourly,

"It means shadow crystal in ancient Hylian I _believe_, but it's a very, _very _powerful chemical and can turn people into spirits with the proper reaction. Where you picked that up, I have really no idea…"

"What would happen to a person with lightning blue eyes and nearly blond hair? It's, um… from an article."

Zelda had now crossed over to the teacher's desk and stood tensely by it. She hoped the teacher believed her story. The teacher gulped.

"It seems you're describing this one boy that reacts to it in a certain way. I recall that article too. It was in the paper... they found this out in a lab. When they figured it out, they decided he was special and could not leave. I don't know what happened to him. I think he escaped…"

Zelda's eyes widened. The boy she was keeping in her bedroom at this very moment…

"Thank you very much for that information."

She bowed and backed out the door. This was making her stomach churn. Her right hand was prickling unpleasantly, almost as if it fallen asleep.

She ran back down the hall to the cafeteria. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed to sink in, and the more her stomach turned. How many times had Link been tested on? Did he have medicine to help him in case he suffered? This was not a good topic. She slowed to a walk when she reached the cafeteria. Did they hook him up to machines? What was the effect when Link touched the shadow crystal?

"Hey, Zelda! Look!"

Zelda turned. Siera was standing on a table, tossing some dough into the air, and, when Zelda stepped closer, she realized she was doing it on only one pinky. Around her was a cheering crowd.

"Zelda, you look pale." Saria said, stepping out. "Are you feeling OK?"

"I'm fine." Zelda said.

"I'll call the nurse if I have to; it's no trouble at all…"

"I'm really fine, Saria. Calm down. Just a little…scary information. New work that's tricky is coming up."

"You don't look fine, but … if you feel fine, I guess it's OK." She said uncertainly. "C'mon, let's get a table."

Saria led Zelda to a small table in the corner of the cafeteria. She was feeling dizzy.

_Maybe I should call the nurse…_ Zelda mused, and then she decided against it. She could take this.

"So, what's the scary work? I'll help you study." Offered Saria.

"What? No! It's really nothing." Zelda nearly yelled. Saria looked concerned.

"It's not 'nothing.' You're really pale. I saw you turn in that test with complete confidence- it has to be something really hard to make you look this bad."

_I have to tell her the truth. _Zelda thought miserably. _There's no way out of this one._

"Saria, you and Siera are my very best friends." She began. "I can tell you, right?"

She paused. Her hand was prickling again.

"Tell me! I can keep a secret. I've never told anybody that you died you're hair blond while your parents were on vacation." Saria said, gripping Zelda's hand. "You can tell me."

Zelda nodded.

"I-"

But she didn't finish her sentence. The small prickles in her hand seared to a burning pain. Zelda didn't have time to yell, the sudden pain was too overwhelming for her. She didn't feel herself fall onto the floor, nor did she hear Saria scream. She didn't hear the cheering around Siera stop, or the sort of thump Siera dropped the dough and ran towards her. But what she did see was some bright lights… and what looked like the inside of a cell… and some golden-brown hair over her eyes. She was staring down at her hands, which had two fresh cuts on the palms.

Was this a vision? A dream?

And then Zelda knew…

She had gotten Link's message.

**SUSPENSE! **


	5. Chapter 5: The Vision

**Hi...**

**I've read this chapter over a lot, but I don't know how much I actually fixed, because I always read it when I was really tired and had nothing better to do. **

**I'm putting my priories first. **

**But, anyway, this is a little tiny story arc, so I hope you enjoy it.  
**

**A few days before Zelda found Link**

**The vision**

She was shaking. Her hands came in and out of focus as her vision became blurred, and then clear again. She was kneeling on the cold and dank floor of a cell.

Zelda also became conscious that this was a vision, and she was not herself, of course…

She knew that this was what Link was talking about earlier, about sending her a message. And now she was in the lab where Link had been tortured, seeing things through his strange, bright blue eyes...

Zelda felt Link set her palms down on the cold floor, still shaking. He was wearing the same jeans and T-shirt she had found him in. His feet were bare. His body felt fragile, as if it was ready to break at the drop of a pin.

And then she heard the door open. She looked up into the cold brown eyes of the person who always dragged her to the experiment room. His face was blurred slightly at the edges, dulling his features. The chemicals they had placed on Link had not worn off completely yet.

The man reached out to grab her. Through Link's memory's, she knew she was to be taken back to a lab. Even though she could not see it properly, she did sense it… Link would not stand to be taken back.

"NO!"

He yelled, scrambling backwards to a wall.

"Not again! No!"

"C'mon, 'Link'." the man sneered. He walked forward.

"NO!"

Zelda could not control what was happening. This was what Link had done. This was horrifying. She wanted to stop seeing this, and just curl up under her blankets and sleep.

The man grabbed Link's shirt collar and pulled him to his feet. Link tried to hit him, but it made the cuts in his hands hurt.

"Not again! You can't! I won't!" His voice had an ounce of determination.

The man began to drag her out of the cell, and down the hall to the lab… he wouldn't have it… not again…

"You always try to fight, ever since we dragged you here. After all these years, you still have energy. That makes my job harder. You dumb lab wolf…"

"NO!"

He screamed. She could feel all the cuts on her body, and she could almost feel the chemicals flowing through her veins.

"Don't take me there again!"

Zelda could not bare it. She wanted to go back into her own body, but part of her wanted to see and understand.

She didn't want to experience what Link had. She didn't want to hear him scream for mercy, she didn't want to feel him get experimented on. This was like a nightmare. This _was_ a nightmare.

"PLEASE!"

She was dragged through a door into a white room. There were rows of needles on the shelves that lined the walls, all different colors; taunting her… she didn't know which ones they would use on her today.

She was thrown onto a chair and strapped in.

"Which one?" asked a female, who's voice sounded new, even to Link. "What form are you going to torture him in?" She sounded slightly angry. Zelda noticed that Link wasn't focusing on that. He was thinking thoughts she now heard herself. They were perfectly in tune with each other.

A new experimenter. Just what he needed.

A scientist pointed to a shelf she could not see clearly.

"He is… special. You must understand, this might cause quite shock to you…" and then the man laughed. His vision was getting blurry again, and she saw a figure wearing thick gloves pluck a crystal off the shelf. It was black with orange lines around it... this was _shadowfillius crystilian. _The most dreaded of them all. How many times have people watched this for amusement? Or maybe for fun? Was pain fun to watch?

She saw the person walk over, and lift up her bangs, pressing her head back against the chair, about to force it onto her forehead. Zelda remembered the large burn she had seen on Link's forehead a few hours ago.

"No!"

And then, to Zelda's great relief, Link closed his eyes. He might have hoped it would go by faster if he closed his eyes, or maybe Link sent her this specific vision because he didn't want her to see how he reacted.

As if watching this was bad… she felt excruciating pain. Pain… She had never felt anything like it before. It was like a tight suffocation around every part of her body. She couldn't see. She could only feel.

Link was not screaming, but she could feel him changing… A loud noise vibrated around the room. It was almost like a tight squeak. Was it around the room or inside his head?

Zelda wanted it all to be over.

And then Link opened his eyes.

She was back in the cell, possibly a day later, examining her foot. Yesterday's chemicals had worn off considerably, but he was still shaking. And the man was not here yet. Could it possibly be that he was not coming? Not weakened by the chemicals, could Link overpower him?

Such thoughts were nonsense, and Link knew it. He sat and waited, not able to do anything else. He turned away from the door.

The door swung open.

"NO!" he yelled. "This time I won't!"

He stood up and looked into the face of a girl.

She looked... odd. She looked different than all the others. Her eyes and her hair were different. They had something behind them…something that was almost comforting.

Link's eyes narrowed. He didn't trust her. How could he, when every time that door swung open, he was dragged to that room?

Zelda found it odd to be able to think what Link thought. She also found it slightly disturbing. The girl reached out a hand.

"I'm not going to hurt you."

Zelda remembered with a pang that she had said the same thing, reaching out to Link just like the twili girl was doing now. She suddenly felt guilty.

"You are! They always say that!" Link pressed a hand to his forehead, eyes wide, remembering.

They narrowed again. He glared at her. "I'll fight you to the death! Don't take me there again!"

It was a command, and not a request. The girl did not relent.

She took a step toward him.

"NO!"

Link screamed, gripping his hair. "No… no, no…"

"I'm not going to do anything to hurt you."

"But you'll take me to people who will!"

"I won't. I promise I won't."

"You will! They always come! They always…"

Link was now backed against the wall.

"I'll fight you!" he repeated, as if this might help. The girl reached into her pocket.

"This won't hurt. I'll bet my life on it."

She pulled out a shining black diamond. It was emitting a black light.

"NO!" Link yelled, his hands balling into fists. "I know what it is! It hurts!"

He paused. "LIAR!"

"Shh. I'm here to help you."

She stepped forward with the crystal in her hands. Now she and Link were inches apart. She held up the diamond.

"This isn't like the one that has scarred you on your forehead. That one caused your problem. This one will solve it."

"I don't trust you."

"You have reasons not to. I, too, have been cursed by dark magic. I know how you feel."

"But… it's not dark magic, it's a chemical…"

"It's dark magic. That 'scientist', Zant, has placed dark magic on me, too. For a while, it reacted on me hideously. I became an imp. And now that I'm better, I can turn into a shadow at will. Pretty useful, actually."

Link let his guard down. She was experimented on, too! Maybe she'd understand, and was just doing this for the trust of the enemy-

The girl took the crystal and pressed it into his chest. Link yelled in shock, but the pain he expected did not come. The pain was different. It was tingling, in a way. The squeeze was warm and comforting.

He felt himself changing. He was stronger and less afraid. And now the man that usually took Link to lab came around the corner.

"What's going on?"

"GO!"

The girl yelled. She dissolved into a shadow. The man yelled in horror as Link lunged at him, now something else. Zelda could not see what Link had become, but Link's bangs no longer covered his eyes. He knocked the man to the ground and bolted.

This was the first time; in all the time he was here, that he had a chance of freedom. The alarms were going off, and red lights were everywhere,-

"Don't let him get away! He's our best one!"

Link spotted a window, revealing the night sky. He didn't care how high up he was; he just wanted to taste that crisp night air that he had not tasted for years-

The glass shattered as Link dove, head first, out the window. The night was silent except for the screams of rage that echoed inside that dreaded lab. Zelda felt Link soar through the air, she saw the shining black crystal fall off of him, and Link landed hard on the ground, now back to his normal self. The cuts on his feet stung. He glanced over his shoulder. The doors had opened, and people were rushing out.

Link ran.

He ran as fast as he could, not once stopping to take a breath. Trees whizzed by. And ahead was a light; a light coming from what looked like a school…

He ignored the pain in his legs and sprinted as fast as he could. He lost the 'scientists' long ago, but he didn't care. He could stay there, he saw a girl inside…

For a moment he thought it was the girl who had helped him escaped he reached the glass doors and pressed on it, too tired to say anything. The girl had gotten up. She wasn't the twili girl. Link felt stupid for even thinking that it could have been her; the twili girl was still back at the lab.

_Help me!_ He pleaded in his mind, too tired to speak. _Don't let them take me back!_

Zelda stared into her own eyes.

The girl seemed to understand, and she pulled open the door.

Link fell in. he hardly thought about how he appeared, pale and covered in cuts; all he cared about was the fact that he was safe now.

But he still didn't trust completely. She could have just let him in to bring him back to the lab. The last thing he saw was her close the curtains before he completely blacked out.

And now she was back in her dorm room, still seeing through Link's eyes. She didn't know if it was present day or not. Someone was banging on the doors. It was the scientists, Link could tell. They had tracked him.

Now, as he crouched under her bed, concealed in shadows, only one thought pounded inside his head.

How could he be so stupid as to let Zelda leave…?

_Zelda… hurry back… _

Link pleaded. And then the sound of breaking glass. The connection must have broken, because then Zelda woke up on the lunch room floor, with the sound of running feet coming toward her. She sat bolt upright. She must have only been out for a few seconds.

"LINK!"

She screamed. Her breathing was heavy.

"Zelda? Are you alright?" Asked Saria. Zelda leapt to her feet.

"I'm fine... I'm fine..."

_Link..._

"You sure?"

"_I'm_ fine. I just...uh...left something in my dorm room...it's really important...let me go get it."

**Well? Well? **

**Good? Bad? Mediocre? **

**Good Grief, I'm tired. I need sleep. And food.  
**

**Oh, yeah. Happy Hanukkah, for those who celebrate it. :)  
**


	6. Chapter 6: Encounter With The 'Chemist'

**Yo. **

**THURSDAY NIGHT**

**Encounter with the 'Chemist'**

Zelda was beginning to panic. She had to leave _now_.

"Zelda, you are going to the nurse!" yelled Siera bossily.

"Thanks, but I'll be fine as soon as I get to my room. I have…uh…meds."

"Since when?" inquired Saria, obviously not believing a word of Zelda's lie.

"Since Tuesday." Zelda said absentmindedly. Her head was spinning with information so fast that it was just making her unnaturally stubborn.

And then she ran out of the room. She realized that Saria and Siera probably thought she was crazy now, and a second later realized that she didn't care. There were more important things.

Siera leapt through the doors and after her.

"Where are you going!" she shrieked, running after her. "You're going to the nurse NOW!"

"NO!" Zelda yelled. All reason and logic that she usually had when she spoke seemed to have disappeared.

"What's in your room that's so important?"

"Someone that…I think…I love…OK?"

"Love who?"

"LINK!"

Siera fell silent for a second.

"Who the hell is Link!" She yelled. Curse her long legs and her ability to match Zelda's sprint.

Zelda ignored her and grabbed the doorknob to her dorm. She heard someone yelling from inside. Siera screeched to a halt.

"Zelda?—"

Zelda opened the door a sliver and peered inside. Link was being held by two men- Zelda could tell they were people from the lab by their coats. A third, who Zelda made out to be Zant, was smiling and watching Link struggle.

"We finally got you, wolf boy."

Link said nothing. His breathing was heavy, and he stared at Zant with pure hatred.

Zelda couldn't move. They hadn't seen her. What could she do?

While her mind calculated what was going on, Siera waited impatiently.

Zelda ignored Siera's quiet anger and focused on inside her room.

"Not again." He hissed. "I will never- not again."

"Oh, yes. Again." Zant replied, amusement in his voice.

"She'll come. She won't let you. I sent for her. I TRUST HER!"

He tried to pull away, and failed.

"Your girlfriend won't save you. I'm surprised you even got her to keep you."

Zelda turned a furious shade of red. Siera was looking angrily at her as if she was crazy.

"She's not my girlfriend!" yelled Link. "But she's going to come!" He tried to yank his wrists free again.

Zelda gripped the doorknob tighter, her knuckles paling.

Everything was willing her to go inside that room, and to prove the boy correct, and everything was ready…

But what was making her stay where she was? Possibly Siera, who was trying to pull her away and take her to the nurse.

Possibly fear. Possibly her feet, which felt like lead.

"You filthy dog… in this situation, I'm wondering how you can even hope she'll come."

"She _will_!"

_Wolf boy? Dog? Lab wolf? Wait a minute… _Zelda's mind was racing. _This is not… it can't mean… _

"But if she were to, would she even try to save you? A boy like yourself, found with those cuts on your body and chemicals in your veins? You are nothing, nothing to her… another person worth giving up…" Zant taunted.

Link lost it. Zelda had never seen him like this… his eyes flashed dangerously. In a swift movement, he kicked both men that held him in the shins. In their moment's hesitation from the sudden pain, Link pulled on their arms and brought them onto the ground. There was a sickening crack, and Link kicked them aside. Zelda was shocked to find that the boy who had appeared so helpless had just taken out two men twice his size.

"I am not worth giving up." he snarled, advancing on Zant. He lunged, knocked him to the ground.

"You are about to feel pain, Zant. PAIN. I'll tear you to pieces! I'll do what you've done to me!"

"Quite wrong, wolf boy. You have underestimated me."

Zant's tone was calm.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I have something you can't fight."

"What-!"

Zant reached into his pocket with lightning speed and pulled out a shadow crystal. Link jumped back as Zant threw it at his forehead. Link yelled in shock as the crystal made contact with his skin.

Zelda forgot about Siera next to her and flung open the door, standing paralyzed with fear.

"LINK!"

Zant turned to her and laughed at her fear.

Link fell onto all fours.

"Zelda! RUN!" he yelled. He let out a grunt of pain as black enveloped his body.

"You might not want to see him like this, little girl…" Zant snickered. And then, the diamonds disappeared, leaving a wolf in its place. A wolf with shining blue eyes.

**Review like your life depends on it! **

**Even if it doesn't. **

**Also, Merry Christmas.  
**


	7. Chapter 7: Wolf Boy

**Sorry this took forever. Holidays, New Years, Lame excuses. All that fun stuff. **

**I haven't edited it yet, but I will! Just bear with it until then. **

**Enjoy!**

**THURSDAY MIDNIGHT**

**Wolf boy**

The wolf collapsed onto the carpet.

"Zelda? What's going on?" Siera said in a shaky voice. Zelda didn't answer. She ran into the room, toward Zant, distracted by her rage.

"You stupid freak!"

Zelda had punched Zant in the stomach, knocking him back. Link had not been able to do it, but her rage and determination was enough to enable HER to. She experienced a moment of shock; she had never been that strong before.

"You'll never take him!" she yelled, standing between Zant and Link. She briefly looked at each of them in turn. Now that Zant's concentration broke, the shadow crystal fell out, gleaming onto the floor. Link was shaking on the ground, staring at it, clutching his chest, gasping for breath. It dissolved.

Zant sneered.

"You care for a wolf boy."

Zelda punched him again. It was as if some strange power had made the damage go up.

"He has a name! Now leave him alone!"

Zelda cursed her inability to think of some good retorts. It didn't matter. Her mind was too busy buzzing.

"I'll come back..." Zant laughed as he warped away.

"Coward!" Zelda shrieked into the air. "COWARD!"

For a moment, it was all silent. The men that had been holding Link had disappeared along with Zant and the only things that moved were Siera, who was shaking with fright, and Link, who was shaking from the sudden contact with the shadow crystal. Zelda turned. Link looked up at her.

"This isn't what you think." He said, quite lamely. "I mean, it's not what you might interpret. It's not…"

"Oh, is it, now?" shrieked Siera, pointing at him. "You're a wolf!"

Link closed his eyes, as if too tired to deal with this again.

"I didn't want you to know."

He said it to Zelda, and not to Siera, who didn't take kindly to being ignored. She scowled.

"What the hell is going on?" Siera shrieked.

"Siera, I need you to go now." Zelda said. "You're dreaming."

"I d-"

"Now!"

Siera glowered. It was clear she hated not being the center of attention; she was always showing off at lunch.

"No." Siera said flatly. Zelda knew she was actually quite caring and just wanted to help out, but she couldn't let her into this.

Zelda stomped up. She slammed the door in her face.

Neither Link nor Zelda spoke for a while. The only sound was Siera banging on the door and screaming with rage. Eventually she got bored and walked back to the cafeteria.

"You ARE dreaming!" Zelda called after her. "You ARE!"

"I couldn't fight him." Link said finally. Zelda turned to him.

"I couldn't fight him all those times I was in the lab. Today," he looked up at Zelda, "I knocked him to the ground. Why couldn't I do it before, damn it! I wouldn't have to have suffered!"

He hugged his arms.

Zelda noticed his eyes were flashing again.

"You were filled with chemicals then." Zelda protested, kneeling down. "You couldn't. This week you had time to heal."

Link looked away. He wiped his eyes. Zelda had not noticed it in the dim light- he had been crying.

"You were brilliant." She whispered to him. "You took out those guards... they were huge."

Link smiled a small smile. But then it disappeared.

"I couldn't take out Zant."

They fell silent again as Zelda tried to think of an excuse for him. A cricket was chirping outside.

"He took you by surprise. He knew where you were, and he…" she didn't want to say what she was thinking," …brought a weapon. He used it when you were on top of him; the easiest time to hit you with it. You couldn't get away."

Link closed his eyes and put his head in his hands.

"I'm a monster." He said. Zelda could tell that he was close to crying again. She didn't know what to say.

"You aren't…"

Link's head shot up. His eyes were full of tears, but none fell.

"Don't pretend! You saw what they can do to me! You saw how I am!" He stared down at his hands. Zelda nearly gasped; the cuts she had seen in the vision were still there. "I tried so hard to keep that from you…"

He broke down and cried, palms on the floor. Zelda couldn't do anything in this situation. A tear rolled down her cheek as well.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. Link nodded.

"It's not your fault." He said quietly, wiping his eyes on his cut arm. "But now you know. Your friend knows. I'll be taken back, and for sure I'm going to be tested on again. People will want to see again. I can't escape it."

They stared at each other. And as Zelda looked into his eyes… she realized that he looked more like a normal boy. His eyes were slowly changing into a normal blue, and she could tell he was becoming more human .A normal person with one bizarre problem, or like a puppy that's owner left and didn't return.

"I'll never let that happen." Zelda said, pulling him into a hug. And this time, she didn't mind feeling the cuts along his arms. She couldn't help notice he felt like a frail and delicate bird. He was so weak.

"Zelda… you're about to give me the greatest thing I've gotten in my entire life." He mumbled, embarrassed. Zelda pulled back and faced him.

"What's that?" she asked, curiously. She hardly saw the cuts on his arms. Suddenly, it felt hard to breathe. Her heart was beating fast, and she seemed to know what was going on a second before it did.

Link didn't answer her question with words. He leaned forward… and pressed his lips to hers.

She almost didn't recognize what this was. Oh yeah… a kiss. Her first kiss.

Zelda didn't mind. This was actually… kind of nice. It was one of those creepy kinds of kisses; the kind that sends shivers down your spine. In a good way.

It ended very quickly. Link was the one to end it, because he pulled back almost immediately, realizing what he had done. He was blushing furiously. Zelda, too, felt her cheeks get hot.

"Um… yeah, so I'm just going to… yeah. I'm going to bed now." Link mumbled as he hastily crawled, backwards, toward his cushion that Zelda had put down for him.

Zelda tried not to laugh. He looked friendlier. He looked human. Completely human. Only a trace of wolf in his veins, and that wolf would only be triggered by a shadow crystal.

"Ok." She said, getting up and crawling into her own bed.

They stared at each other.

"What?" asked Link, his blush returning.

"What's what?" replied Zelda.

"What's what what's- hey, just wait a minute! I'm not going into this one!" Link almost yelled, sitting up. "No more tricks! I'm sick of tricks!"

Zelda giggled. Link sighed and flopped back onto the cushion.

Once again, quiet consumed them. There were more crickets outside now.

"Remember… remember the twilight girl that I showed you?"

Link asked, disturbing the silence. It was like a stone being thrown into an icy pond.

"Of course." Zelda replied. Another stone.

"I… I wonder if… what Zant did to me… is not such a bad thing?" He asked, staring at the ceiling. Zelda sat up so quickly that she might have been lit on fire.

"NO! What he did was horrible, awful, and hideous! He's a monster!" she did not mean to yell, but this was just such a stupid question. And then she noticed that Link was smiling.

"It's not a laughing matter!" she yelled.

"Alright, master."

Zelda flushed.

"I didn't mean it-"

"It's fine. Don't take it too personally." He waved his hand. "But the twili girl… she could turn into a shadow. She turned it into an advantage. I wonder… if I can do the same. You know…" he turned away from the ceiling to look at Zelda. "With my body reacting to it in a way… being a wolf might not be so… bad."

They looked at each other. And then without realizing it, Zelda said,

"You do have a weird body." It took her a few moments to realize what she had just said.

She clapped a hand over her mouth.

"I- WHAT?"

"I didn't mean it that way!" Zelda gasped.

"Pervert." Link said, smiling.

"Shut up."

"No. Now, for nicknames! I shall call you Pervert mc. perves a lot."

"Over my dead body!"

"And my wolf one."

"How can you joke about that? Shut UP!"

"Never!"

Zelda rolled off her bed and onto Link, her fists diving into his stomach. He yelled.

"Ah! Ok, I'll stop!"

"Swear on your wolf genes."

"I swear on my wolf genes!"

"Un-cross your paws."

"Dang."

"I shall call you Mr. fluffy, and I shall give you a bone every day, and you will be Mr. fluffy who crosses his paws."

"Shut up."

Zelda stuck out her tongue at him. He laughed, and she found herself laughing, too. Link seemed more like a childhood friend than a boy she found one week ago. A lot had happened in one week.

Zelda got back onto her own bed. Link had gotten much more like a teenager, too. Possibly because the chemicals were wearing off. Possibly because she had been inside his mind.

Possibly because she had kissed him.  
Zelda smiled and closed her eyes. She could still feel the shadow of his lips on hers.

**From so scary, to so...sweet. Hm. How cool.  
**


	8. Chapter 8: Curiosity

**This is such a long chapter! It's like a make up for all the times I missed posting it! **

**I don't own LoZ. **

**Enjoy! **

**FRIDAY MORNING**

**Curiosity**

Link was awake before Zelda was.

He sat up on his cushion and watched her breathing peacefully. She was so different than him. She was a normal girl, with a normal life. And she was… pretty. He was a monster.

And even though her eyes were the same shade of blue as his were, they were different. They sent different messages. Hers were comforting and kind, and his were ghostly and eerie.

But she let him kiss her… That was really something, especially because she knew he was a wolf.

He examined his arms. The cuts shone in the early morning light. He felt like they were not part of him. Against his pale skin, they sort of fit, but Link still felt that they did not belong.

He stopped looking at is arm and stared out the window.

Curiosity filled him as he stared into the early morning light. The only light in the lab was from the frighteningly clean florescent lights.

This light was warm and comforting, and very new. Very, very new, and he liked it. He liked that it was so different.

The sun felt good on his flesh, much better than a shadowy corner did. He felt like a person in the sunlight.

His hand prickled impatiently. The people in the lab had burned a symbol into it, but he didn't know why. What was so special about him?

Link stood up. It was nice to feel like a human. He didn't remember that much before he was in the lab, and hated it.

Link lifted up his bangs and touched the burn. It didn't feel any different than the rest of his skin, so why did it matter so much? Why couldn't he be left alone?

In the bed, Zelda was stirring.

"Link?" She asked, sitting up. Link turned to face her.

"What?" He asked.

"I'm curious." She said, stretching. "Do you… remember yourself before you were taken to the lab?"

"I…" Link looked around the room. "I guess I was human… before the… oh, well, you know."

"But… do you remember anything?" Zelda threw off her covers.

"No. unless I have weird dreams or get flashbacks, my mind is completely blank. I'm starting to think that I was created there." Link stammered.

Zelda stood up.

"You have to remember something." She said, taking his hand. The hand with the burned-in symbol on it.

It was as if an electric shock had went through him, like when you touch a door knob when you had wool socks on. Link jumped back.

"Sorry!" He said, a little loudly, rubbing his hand. "It just… "

When he thought about it, his hand had hurt a lot after they burned the symbol into it. The symbol was very small, and from far away, someone could mistake it for another cut.

"I'm sorry." Zelda said, sitting back down on the bed.

"It's OK. It's the dumb symbol." Link shook his hand. "It's been shocking me since I got here."

"May I have a look?" Zelda asked. Link glanced at his hand.

"Uh… I…"

He hid his hand behind his back.

"No."

He didn't know why he was protecting it. He just was.

"Why not?" Zelda looked hurt now. Link swallowed. He didn't want that.

"It's nothing, really. It's ok."

"If it's nothing then why are you hiding it?" Zelda demanded. "I just want to help!"

Link's hand pricked again. He winced.

Zelda grabbed his hand from behind his back. "Just calm down!"

"Link! This is the same symbol in the legends!"

"I-is that so?"

Link struggled against her grip. It was as if a large needle was piercing his hand.

"Link? Are you OK?"

Link cried out in shock and suddenly remembered something- something about before he was taken away-

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. Zelda snatched her hand away, afraid. Link crumpled onto the floor.

"Link?" Zelda crouched down next to him, her heart beating very fast. "LINK!"

Zelda felt a familiar prick in her hand and collapsed next to him.

"Oh…"

Zelda woke up in a memory. It was a memory she had forgotten long ago, and she did not want to remember it. It was pushed out of her mind.

It was one of those memories that you can't forget, but somehow make disappear. Like something so traumatic happens to you, your mind discards it. Like a built-in trash compartment.

"Help me!" Somebody was screaming. Zelda was inside her own body, only younger. In fact, she was only ten. She had gone out of her house and into town because she was hungry and hoped to find a bakery. She found something else.

Zelda ran along the street, her sneakers pounding the road.

"Oh!" She stopped abruptly, watching a small boy struggle against the grip of two large men. She could not see his face; he was not facing her. A woman held a handkerchief over her mouth, tears in her eyes.

"What is going on?" Zelda asked, tugging on the woman's skirts. The woman looked down at her with a weary face.

"They're chemists. They're in a high power… nobody knows what to do. People they take come back sick for a long time. They have never taken somebody so young before."

"That's terrible!" Zelda gave her a look of sorrow and then pushed through the crowd, trying to see.

"Somebody! LEMME GO!"

The boy was loaded into the back of a pick up truck. His limbs were bound with ropes immediately.

Zelda only saw glimpses. People turned and shook their heads.

Zelda made it to the edge. She longed for a knife, or something to help free him with.

"Help!" the boy bit the ropes binding his hands. He turned around, staring at Zelda. Now she really wanted a knife. He was so desperate he was biting the ropes!

Hope was melted into his expression.

"What are you doing?" He screamed. "DO SOMETHING! Help me!"

Zelda stared at the ground. She felt awful and useless. The men could toss her aside with ease. She could not help. The boy looked desperate and hurt. But more than anything else, confused.

"Please! I don't want to go! What will they do to me?"

Zelda began to cry slowly.

"I can't!" her voice was cracked. "I don't know what to do!"

"Hey, quiet." One of the men hissed at him. "They can't help you."

"They'll drag me away and kill me!" He screamed, ignoring the man's request. "Don't you know what happens to people where they're taking me?"

Zelda started to sob. A lot of people were looking at her.

She glared at them through her tears. _Why do none of them move?_

_Why? _Zelda wondered_. Why did he have to expect ME to help? There are so many people here! No… Why do THEY expect me to help? Can't they pitch in? _

She saw the boy bite back tears.

"Please!" Almost as if giving up, he sank to his knees. "I can't-!"

He was gagged by a strong man. The man glared at Zelda.

"Go away! It is people like you, trifling people, you are; that give us trouble!" The man waved his hand. "Forget this and go back to your life! He can't be helped!"

"YESH I CAMN!" The boy's voice was muffled by the cloth, and now he struggled more than ever. The man threw the boy onto the floor of the truck.

"Shut up! You're tricky, but I cannot stop what I am doing."

The man got into the front of the truck and started the engine.

"No! Don't hurt him!" Zelda ran forward. The engine started up. Zelda stopped, staring in front of her. She was in the middle of an entire crowd. All were watching.

She glared at them again and sprinted forward. She had always longed to be important, but she had never expected to do something as daring as this. The truck only now started to move, and she now caught up to it, her small feet hitting the ground hard and fast.

"Give him back! LET HIM GO!" She reached the truck. The engine was not going fast. Yet.

Zelda gripped onto the rearview mirror. "Let him go!" Zelda screamed. "You are FOUL, taking him!" Zelda spat out the words best she could. She could not think of anything better at the time.

The man rolled down the window. The truck left the small town and entered a road through a field, toward a forest of vast size.

Zelda had no time to think. She could not believe what she was doing, and was busy being stunned when the man slapped her off the rearview mirror.

Zelda tumbled onto the back of the end of the truck from the force of the blow. The boy was lying on the floor of the truck, facing her. He was on the other side, nearer to the front. He wasn't moving.

Zelda made a move for him, desperate to save him, when the truck took a wild turn toward a rock (on purpose), hit with a terrible bump, and threw her off.

"Ah!" She landed next to the road.

"Don't…" Zelda cried. But now the boy was too far away.

She hadn't saved him.

Zelda watched it leave, and then she burst into tears.

Zelda had flown through time to a week later, when she was trudging along the street, looking for her friends that usually played outside.

As she walked down the street, she saw something that caught her eye. It was a newspaper sprawled out on the ground.

She bent down a picked it up, and then stood gaping at the news that had made the front cover.

Wolf boy discovered in lab

Below was a very detailed picture of a boy that was rapidly changing into a wolf. His eyes were closed and his mouth was open. He looked like he was screaming. Zelda wished that the artist didn't draw the look of pain on his face so well.

Below was a small article about him.

"I did not expect him to be anything more than a lab rat." Says scientist Zant. "He seemed like a normal, unwanted boy for testing on. I guess I was wrong. If you have enough money, you can pay to see him change into a wolf and back. Although, those with a weak stomach should probably stay away. " 

Zelda didn't have the heart to read on. She dropped the paper back onto the ground. Instead of searching for a jousting, she clutched her stomach and walked slowly back home.

After a warm cup of tea to ease her stomach, her head swirled and the memory that she had tried so hard to forget discarded.

Zelda awoke next to Link, which was still unconscious.

"Oh my god…"

Zelda bent over him.

"It was… you?"

Zelda shook him.

"Wake up!" she yelled, not knowing what else to say. Link stirred. He stared up into Zelda's face.

"I…" Tears pricked Zelda's eyes. "I could've helped you… you didn't have to become…"

She bit her lip and pressed her palms to her eyes, forcing the tears to stay in.

"It… was not your fault…"

"Are you kidding me?" Zelda yelled. "I was a second away from saving you! If I had had the heart to run forward sooner- a few seconds sooner-"

"I was trying to get you to stop crying!" Link yelled back defensively.

"Well, I'm not crying and you can't lie to me!"

Zelda had not meant to yell, and now she felt terrible. Link didn't seem to care, and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Just calm down. I'm okay now. You saved me last night."

"You… you… that's not going to change…" She fell silent and sighed, allowing herself to be hugged.

Link stared into the morning light. He looked like he was concentrating.

"I'd like to try for chemistry class… you know, I'd ace it."

"No." Zelda said quietly.

"I'll bet your teacher's gonna get almost everything wrong in your lesson."

"Ok… like anybody's going to notice. I mean, it's not like anybody knows what reaction chemicals make, or have all the colors memorized… We can only guess. Besides, with the chemicals WE'RE studying by now, nobody has ever tested the effects out on themselves. Even important city rulers don't know about them. This school is so special… Anyways, there's no way we could correct her."

Link grinned at her. "Are you so sure?"

Zelda gasped. "Right… Duh."

Link stood up. Zelda looked up at him.

"I'm going to need some new clothes." He said.

"I don't have any boy's clothes." Zelda replied. "Also, your feet are bare."

Link ignored her and picked up one of Zelda's gym sneakers. They were pretty big, so Zelda never wore them. She wondered how he'd noticed them. Then she remembered… he had spent an entire week just lying on the floor.

They fit him well.

"Couldn't you just stay here?" Zelda asked.

"Yeah, and what about the next day? And the next? I'm sick of being cooped up like a dog!"

Zelda knew better than to tell him he was technically one.

"You… you're just so…" _Delicate. _Zelda finished in her mind.

"C'mon, Zelda. I need this. I haven't gotten to be mean to somebody for AGES." He put his hands together in a silent plea and quietly added, "They've always been picking on me."

Zelda smiled softly. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Link, it's just stupid. What might happen is going to be out of control."

"I just want to act like a normal kid! For one day, Zelda. Just one day, for one class, even."

"I don't want you to get hurt."

"And I will be if I'm stuck in a cage any longer."

Zelda frowned and picked up a light jacket. It was old and gray. And, luckily, not girly at all.

"You'd better wear this." She said. "To cover up-"

"I know, I'm not an idiot!" Link snatched the jacket out of her hands and put it on.

Zelda knew this whole plan was crazy. Maybe he needed it, though. To learn how to become more human.

Mulling it over for a moment, Zelda decided it was alright for one class.

Zelda stretched. "Oh, alright. Let's go. Just try to fit in, OK?"

Link smiled and opened the door while Zelda stepped into her shoes.

"As if I'd forget that." He said.

Zelda smiled at him wickedly and slipped out the door. Link rolled his eyes, but he could not conceal the smile escaping his lips. She was so weird.

"I won't attract too much attention, will I?" Link asked, gripping his hand. Zelda smiled at him. She had forgotten that he was a little taller than her. He had always seemed so much smaller.

"Hopefully not." She said. "Maybe a little from the clean fanatics. You know, your hair hasn't seen a brush in eight years, and you've only worn old clothes from the lab-"

"I get it."

Link was staring ahead. "Damn, I've missed so much."

Zelda sighed and shook her head. "I think you'll be OK." She patted his shoulder.

Link smiled again. Her hand was warm and soft. He pulled his hand from hers.

He didn't deserve her. They were so different.

At the same time, he wanted to always stand by her.

They walked into the chemistry class. All the windows were open and cool breezes rattled inside. Link sat down in the desk behind Zelda.

"WHOA! Who's he?" Siera said, hopping on top her desk. She was wearing a butterfly headband, sandals, jeans and a tie-die shirt. Link leaned back in his chair. Didn't she recognize him?

Last night, she had only seen a glimpse of him in the shadows. Now, in the light, he looked much different.

Link guessed she didn't.

"He's a new transfer student." Zelda said simply, opening her text book.

"He's cute!" Siera said, grinning.

"Are you kidding me?" Malon asked. She was a more popular student in school, and she sat diagonal from Zelda. She was nice if you got to know her. "I don't think he's seen a brush in eight years."

Link raised his eyebrows at Zelda. "She's catching on…"

"Good thing I have a spare." Malon fished around in her bag and pulled out a brush. She threw it onto Link's desk, smiling. "Go on, it'll do you good."

Link picked it up, looking confused. "This is a really scary looking device. No thanks."

He handed it back. "Sorry."

Siera snickered.

Malon shrugged, glared at Siera, and turned around.

"Did I do something wrong?" Link asked.

"No. you did just perfect!" Siera leaned over from her desk and shook his hand vigorously. "What's your name?"

"L-"

"His name's Josh." Zelda said loudly. Link looked confused. Zelda mouthed, _You're a big secret! Keep your existence that way!_

"Nice to meet you, Josh!" Siera beamed at him and then turned back to her own desk.

"But…" Link shrugged and stared at the chalkboard. He didn't like being called a different name.

The bell rang. A teacher that greatly resembled a hag walked in, dragging a box and a cloaked cage in. She spotted Link right away.

"Who is he?" She asked crisply, pointing a bony finger at Link. All eyes turned to him.

"I'm Josh." Link said, remembering Zelda's words. He thought for a quick moment. "Uh… Transfer student."

"Right." The teacher pulled the box and cloaked cage and pulled it onto her desk. "Figures nobody told me. Too many students in here…"

Behind them, Saria moaned and covered her eyes. "I hate this day." She mumbled.

Link looked around curiously. Everybody seemed to not want to be there.

The teacher pulled the cloth off the cage to reveal a rat, and then opened the box. She pulled out a needle full of blue liquid. She began to explain the chemical inside it and what it would do to the rat. Halfway through, Link raised his hand.

"That's wrong." He said.

The whole class was dumbstruck.

"What?" The teacher asked.

"That's wrong." Link repeated. He stood up. "With a rat, it turns the retina _blue _and it has trouble _hearing._ And with a human, it turns the retina _lavender_ and it has trouble _seeing_. You got them all mixed up."

At first he seemed pleased with knowing this, but then disgusted that he had remembered.

"Really." The teacher sounded unconvinced. "Alright, Josh. Come up and hold the rat so I can inject the needle. We'll see who's right."

All the kids shuddered. Link walked swiftly to the front of the room and picked up the lab rat. It was quiet in his hand, much like it had given up.

The teacher held up the needle.

"NO!" Link yelled, gripping the rat and backing away. He knew too well what that was like.

He turned to the open window and dumped the rat onto the cool grass outside. It scampered away.

Link turned around to an entire classroom full of shocked students and one very shocked teacher.

"Now what will we test on?" A boy whispered.

Link stared back at him.

"I'm used to this kind of stuff. It's a simple reaction."

Link strode over to teacher, took the needle out of her hand and then pressed it into the palm of his own.

It was a minor chemical, compared to the ones he was used to.

Everybody screamed.

Link dropped the empty needle onto the teacher's desk. He gripped his hand and turned around to face the screaming students. The teacher fainted.

"What?" He asked, obviously clueless. He suddenly realized what had just happened, and tried to ignore the bad habit.

Suddenly, Siera burst into applause. "That was amazing!" She yelled. Saria joined in. Link felt himself smile. This was the first time that doing something like this had seemed to done a favor to actual people. They seemed… happy. And they didn't look at him like he was a lab wolf. They looked at him like he was a hero.

This was new.

Link's retinas turned lavender. Nobody seemed to notice.

"Yay, Josh! Yay, Josh! Yay, Josh!"

Link felt his forehead. He felt dizzy. And everything was going out of focus…

**Suspense! **

**Now please comment, or Link will get sad. And Zelda will be annoyed. **

**Click the button. Click it...**

**Click it...  
**


	9. Chapter 9: Jonathan

**Hiya there! this is El. This was a very hard chapter to write and to read, and that is my opinion. honest. Just don't say it, okay? I already did. **

**Okay. This chapter was very hard to make believable. So, if you find yourself thinking 'how convenient' sarcastically, just don't say it! BLAME THE EDITOR!**

**Also, i like pie. just wanted that out there. :)  
**

**Friday**

**Jonathan**

A vision.

Link was 14. He was being dragged to the lab, but the new person had taken him the wrong way. For the first time in years, Link saw the sky out a window. If only it was open… he reached for it.

"Oh, no you don't." The man grabbed Link around the waist and pulled him away from the window.

"No! I…"

He was watching the window slip away.

He turned around to the man. "Why not?"

"No." The man dragged Link away from the window.

"But I want it! I need it!"

Link felt tears welling up. "Please!"

That was the only sunlight he had seen in years. He wanted to be surrounded by it.

The man shook his head. "I'm real sorry kid, but this is my job."

"I… Please!"

Link struggled. The window-and the light- was gone. He was going back to the lab.

Link awoke at a lunch table, Zelda and Siera sitting on either side of him. He felt sick and lost.

"…one of the most powerful chemicals I've ever seen the teacher let us use. And Josh just stuck it into himself!"

"I know."

"Zelda… last night…"

"What? I'm guessing you had another crazy dream again."

"Only this one was different! There was a wolf boy!"

"Last time there was a vampire who resembled Harry Potter and a snitch that talked. You claimed that I was Hermione in disguise."

"Hmm…. Good point. I'll just have to forget about it."

Zelda silently thanked Siera's ability to have strange dreams.

Link lifted his head. The lunch room was going in and out of focus.

"Are you OK?" Zelda asked. Link seemed lost.

"I'm fine." He said. His retinas were still lavender.

"Are you sure? You nearly passed out! You could walk and all, but you seemed lost. Good thing nobody noticed when we brought you in here… teachers would freak! That's why we didn't want to bring you to the nurse until you woke up."

"I'm OK. Hm…."

He put his head back on the table and stared at the fresh cut in his hand.

"Man, I've wanted to be mean to that teacher since I ever came here! I mean, you really showed her who is boss. She's out cold."

She stared, her head sideways, at him for a moment.

"By the way, Josh, why _don't_ you go to the nurse?" Siera asked, smiling a t him.

"Oh, uh... no, that won't be necessary." Link shook his head.

"Josh, it's for the best! You could get seriously hurt from putting that into you."

"Tell me about it." Link mumbled.

"You hungry?" Zelda asked, forking her salad.

"A bit, I guess. Not really."

"Have some food anyway!" Siera shoved some soup under Link's nose. Link's heart nearly stopped. It was THE BEST thing he had smelled in eight years.

Trying to remain calm, he picked up the bowl of soup and a spoon and quickly began to eat.

"Good, isn't it? You'd think he hasn't had a good meal in a million years!" Siera exclaimed. "I love the food here."

"Yeah, that's it." Link said, smiling and eating more soup. Siera giggled and then flipped out of her seat. She began to show off for the cafeteria, starting with juggling a dozen tomatoes while doing the splits. Then she stood on her hands and juggled them with her feet. Zelda knew that Siera had been in acrobatics once, but this was a lot better than she had done before.

She figured that Siera was giving a special performance to Link to invite him to the school, but he didn't seem to notice. Link was too busy with his soup to care.

"Hey." A boy nudged Link's arm. "She's giving a great performance. Why don't you look at her?"

He appeared to be Jonathan, the boy that Siera had a crush on. Siera blushed, but continued to juggle the tomatoes. She now did it one-handed.

"I'm sorry." Link set down the bowl of soup. "But I think that since I've been tes-"

Zelda made vigorous movements with her hands. Link swallowed.

"Er, isolated for a long period of time, meaning that most good necessities have been cut off, and I think that I have more important things to do than watch a girl show off."

Link didn't mean to snap, but he didn't care at all about what was going on right now. He was hungry, and you don't bother a wolf when it eats.

Siera looked flustered and confused.

"Yeah. You're too busy with that girl!"

Jonathan pointed Zelda, anger rushing through him. Zelda narrowed her eyes, but that did not hide her light blush. "He is not."

"I'm sure."

It was like a little spark had struck Link, Making his hair stand on end.

"Like you wouldn't leap the chance!" Link retorted, whirling around. "And she's just a friend, for your information!"

"I've got better things to do that to fall for somebody like her! Only idiots like you would!"

Jonathan bit his tongue. What was he saying?

Link stood up. Zelda grabbed his arm, restraining his body, but not his viscous glare. "If you're suggesting I'm an idiot, then go look in a mirror! She's not my girlfriend!"

Jonathan glared back. "Then what I she, your owner? You're such a dog!"

Take just a moment here to imagine how much that would tick somebody off.

"SHUT UP!" Link screamed, breaking free and using a large amount of force to strike Jonathan across the face.

Jonathan was taken aback. What was going on? The last few seconds were fuzzy to him.

He tried not to, but a something made him approach Link.

Jonathan grabbed Link's shirt collar.

Link's pupils deflated. He thought sickeningly of how this was the technique that was used on him to drag him to the lab.

"NO!" Link screamed subconsciously, closing his eyes tightly and using both hands to shove Jonathan away. He staggered back.

Link opened his eyes when Jonathan released him. He fell onto his knees and began to shake.

Jonathan, right here and now, wanted to back away. He was new at the school. He didn't want to draw attention to himself. And the boy in front of him looked so scared. He was uncomfortable here.

A sudden emotion was cut into his head, making him feel as if somebody was hacking his brain.

"Fight!" Somebody yelled. "Fight! Fight!"

Other people joined in.

The lady that worked in the cafeteria was eating a sandwich for a few minutes in another room. Quite ironically, she was having lunch break, and the kids were supposed to be responsible enough to be left alone for a few minutes.

Jonathan approached Link again. He hated him. He hated him!

But why? He didn't even know him!

"Fight! Fight! Fight!"

"Get up!" He demanded. Link stared up at Jonathan.

"You like her, don't you?" Link asked, smiling slyly, nodding at Siera. Jonathan turned red.

"Link…" Zelda hissed warningly. Siera gasped in pleasure.

Jonathan grabbed Link's collar again. His fingers curled together into a fist, which he raised.

"Fight! Fight!"

Link shielded his eyes. He was reminded of the lab again. "STOP! I don't…"

Jonathan lowered his fist, trying to control himself. He didn't hate him. Why were there thoughts in his head… when they weren't his?

"I don't want to go back!"

Link shook Jonathan off. Jonathan frowned and raised his fist again. He was trying not to, when something was making him. He hated this emotion. It confused him and made his head hurt.

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Jonathan lost control of his own movements for a moment.

Jonathan's punch soared through the air and hit Link squarely in the face, knocking the breath out of him.

_This scenario… _Link was back in the lab, dozens of scientists watching him. He was twelve.

"Idiots!" Link was yelling. "How do you think I feel about this?"

After two years, this was still amusing?

Somebody jabbed the shadow crystal in his back. The crowd yelled in shock and surprise, followed by a serious of gasps and 'oohs'.

Then Link back into the present.

Link was on the ground, and he had a black eye.

"Stop!" Zelda screamed. Jonathan was near him. The world was fuzzy.

Zelda grabbed Jonathan's arm. "What are you doing?"

"Oooooo…." The people who were watching cooed.

"I don't KNOW!"

Dear me, there's something important that you must know. Jonathan's been studying really hard in all classes, but is now focusing on chemistry. It's a way of focusing on one thing until you've mastered it, and then moving on.

He had just finished mechanics, and had mastered it. People had told him chemistry was a challenge and he took it on.

At the moment, he was studying a certain chemical, and was currently carrying it in his lunch in a needle, which was wrapped in a special cloth to keep it from poking his food. It was edible, but dangerous. It wouldn't poison him or kill him, but it could have other bad effects.

It was used for studying during free period, (he wasn't allowed to go back to his dorm, so he brought it along) so he could ask the chemist teacher to let him use the lab rat. He had forgotten about the needle... But... Something made him remember. Something that was not himself.

That something forced his limbs to shake Zelda off and quickly turn around.

He opened his lunch box to get it out. He succeeded, and read the label; _Conumpion_. (On earth this is gibberish, but here it is not) _Weakens muscles. _

Jonathan would just drop a bit onto 'Josh's' skin. That would numb him for long enough for him to stop the fight and get things strait.

Another emotion slashed through his head.

Link didn't see the needle. He struggled onto his feet and whirled around. Years of training in the lab and trying to escape had made him strong. If he had to fight, he would. Maybe if he knocked Jonathan to the ground, he could stop this long enough to get things strait.

Amongst the people screaming "Fight! Fight!"

Saria screamed and pointed to the needle Jonathan was carrying.

"NEEDLE!" She screamed. The sound echoed around the cafeteria.

"No!"

It was Zelda who had yelled this time.

Zelda ran forward and pulled Link out of the way, knocking the needle out of Jonathan's hand by accident.

Everybody was silent. The needle turned twice in midair, and then fell, aiming straight down… and falling through Jonathan's shoe and pricking the foot inside it. The liquid poured out.

It seemed that nobody drew breath. Jonathan was standing, frozen.

Zelda sat up.

"L-er, Josh! What chemical is that?" She asked, hoping he knew the answer.

"What does it do?"

"Er, um, it's, a, conumpion, and if it's orange, He can't walk for a certain number of hours, depending on his muscle build. If it's, uh, purple…" Link racked his brains. "He won't hear out of his left ear for two months. It's a weird one; it doesn't just go for all of your body. It specifies."

Siera walked toward Jonathan and crouched down. She gently pulled out the needle.

A drop of orange liquid hung off the end of it. Link grimaced.

The chemicals must have kicked in around then, because suddenly, Jonathan groaned and his legs went limp. Siera gasped and bent over him. Everybody was silent.

Saria rushed out of the crowd. "Get him to the nurse! Josh, you too! That black eye…"

"I've had worse." Link mumbled quietly.

A few students ran forward.

Link sat on a bed in the nurse's office, and across the room was Jonathan, being hoisted into a wheelchair. Link had made up the excuse they had just been wrestling in the gym and things got out of hand. Nobody wanted to get in trouble for saying 'fight' or actually fighting, so they went along with it.

As the teacher put some healing substance called Chu jelly on Link's black eye, she had to lift up his bangs to get all of it on.

"Ah!" Link snapped back from her hand and covered up his forehead. The nurse looked bewildered.

"It's only Chu Jelly." She huffed, placing the jar on the counter.

"It's only a scar that would give away my entire existence." Link mumbled.

Jonathan was wheeling around a little bit, Siera helping him along. Zelda couldn't skip her next class; otherwise she'd be with Link.

Link caught Jonathan's eye. They glared at each other.

"Unforgivable." Link whispered. He stared at the floor. "Needles. I swear."

Jonathan looked mildly confused. He scoffed, as if what Link had said was stupid, and then turned so that he didn't have to face him.

"Should you, uh, be getting to your class now?" The nurse asked. Link shook his head.

"Nope." He stared at his shoes. The nurse walked away, looking immensely annoyed.

"So you like chemicals, huh." Jonathan said. "Knowing that much about he colors and effects."

He was trying to be friendly, at the least.

Link looked afraid and sick. "No. I hate chemicals."

Link slid out of bed and walked out of the room, not knowing that he had to be given permission first. He hurried down the halls.

Jonathan and Siera watched him.

"He didn't even get permission!" Siera said. Jonathan squinted.

"Something's wrong with him. He's not acting normal." He gripped the wheels of his wheelchair. "He's not even…"

"Acting human." Siera finished. They looked at each other and smiled.

"We should look him up on the library computers." Siera suggested. "Josh… what an odd name. They must have something in the student directory."

"It almost sounds made up. C'mon, let's follow him." Jonathan wheeled out of the room, Siera behind him. He wanted to know what was wrong. He was a kind person, and he thought he could, maybe, fix it.

Something told him there was another reason.

They stepped out and glanced around the hall. He wasn't anywhere. Jonathan sighed.

"Ah, well. Forget him for now. Let's go to the library."

Siera and Jonathan took the computers. They loaded up dictionaries.

No matter who or what they searched, their 'Josh' didn't fit any description. But Siera found something on an ad that popped up on the side. Bored, she clicked on it. An old newspaper article.

Wolf boy discovered in lab

"I did not expect him to be anything more than a lab rat." Says scientist Zant. "He seemed like a normal, unwanted boy for testing on. I guess I was wrong. If you have enough money, you can pay to see him change into a wolf and back. Although, those with a weak stomach should probably stay away. " 

A rare chemical has been found to do this to the child, but only him. This odd transformation does not work on anybody but the child. 

Below was a detailed picture of a boy writhing in pain and rapidly turning from a boy to a wolf. Intrigued, and knowing that Jonathan was studying chemicals, Siera pointed it out.

"Come see this." She said. Jonathan leaned over and read aloud,

"The link between man and wolf. Hurm… that guy sort of looks like Josh. Scroll down."

Jonathan's brain clicked. He recognized the picture.

Siera scrolled down.

"This odd youth has lightning blue eyes and matted blond-brown hair. See page twenty-eight. – does it have a page twenty eight?" Jonathan asked.

"No." Siera said glumly. "Foo."

She scrolled down.

"Ooh, but look! He escaped recently. There was a big deal about it, too! Wanted posters and everything. Chemists tracked him to… this… school."

They gawked at each other.

"What else? What else?" Jonathan asked. Siera read.

"He escaped! Again! And here's a wanted picture!"

She pulled the picture to its full size and nearly screamed.

"That's JOSH…!" She whispered it instead.

Jonathan actually yelped and put a hand over his mouth to stop him from yelling. He recognized the boy, but not from school. Jonathan closed his eyes and took several deep breaths.

A detailed picture of a younger 'Josh' was on the computer screen. He looked hurt and afraid. Cuts lined every part of his skin that was showing and his eyes were distant, full of hatred and a frightening ghostly blue. His left hand was chained to a wall and a small symbol was burned into it. It had been burned on by force.

The picture was labeled, 'test subject 13443. Wanted.'

At the bottom of the wanted poster was a small and odd looking jagged crystal that was labeled _Shodowfillius crystillian. _Jonathan and Siera stared at each other in blunt shock. Jonathan was reminded of something he had tried to forget about a long time ago.

He felt like a hand was gripping him, and something was controlling him again.

Jonathan's face broke into a grin. "We could use this."

"No!" Siera squeaked. "This is awful! This is horrid! We should pretend we never saw this and move on!"

"You can do that. He could be dangerous." Jonathan got up. "I'm going to turn him in."

His mind was aching. What was going on?

**OH NOES! WHAT IS HAPPENING TO JONATHAN? the poor sap. **

**Don't hate Jonathan. please. i hate him, and that is enough. He is a bad character. i wish i made him something more creative, like Malo but older. **

**Okay, so yah. Also, i like coookies. yum yum yum. Comment twice, logout and sighn back in, recieve cookie! **

**Just kidiing. These scams don't work. :)  
**


	10. Chapter 10:It's MY Fault

**Friday night **

**It's MY Fault**

Zelda walked into her dorm to find Link already there, hiding in his usual spot under the bed. He looked deep in thought. Maybe the symbol hurt.

Zelda bent down.

"Link, the chemistry teacher's in the hospital. She's still out cold from shock."

Link looked up.

"Oh?" He crawled out from under the bed and sat at Zelda's feet. "That's good."

Zelda patted his head awkwardly. "Well… You have to bunk with Jonathan now, too. He's the only one with a spare bed. You can't stay with me."

"Wha- why not?" Link stood up defiantly.

"Er… you don't know?"

"No…"

Zelda smiled.

"Eh… I shouldn't tell you just yet. Wait until you ask to go to health."

She ruffled his hair. Link swallowed.

"I hate Jonathan. He's out to get me."

"I think you're just a little scared. He's not out to get you; he's a nice person."

Link stared at his the wall angrily.

"I don't care. I hate him."

Zelda put her hands on his shoulders.

"If anything happens… just send me a message." She whispered.

"Zelda… I'm glad I met you. Anybody else… they would have left me outside." He said, his eyes staring into her own. Ghost blue on sky blue.

Zelda put her arms around him and rested her head on his shoulder. She could hear his heart beating very fast. He was still scared.

"I wish I'd… saved you. That day when you were taken." Link nodded and closed his eyes.

Suddenly, a prickling on Link's hand suddenly felt like a needle was pressing into it.

"Ah! Ah…" His throat felt clogged. He let go of Zelda and backed away. "I guess I can't be in here."

"Is something wrong? You look upset."

"Nothing's wrong, I'm just nervous." Link forced a smile and walked out the door, closing the door quickly behind him. He rushed down the hall, sweating and gripping his hand. A bell rang and people came out of their last class.

Not wanting to be noticed, Link crouched down in a corner and hid his face in the shadows.

It didn't take long after the shadows touched his flesh for the world to go black.

Link was not in a hallway anymore. He was back in the lab, and he could tell by the smell.

_Oh no. Oh, god no. This is bad._ He thought. He opened his eyes. He was in a cell. Just outside one, actually, watching inside. He made a quick note of the number. 15747.

"Worthless…" Zant was striding around the twili girl. Inside the cell. "He called me worthless, Midna. Do you know how that feels?"

_Her name's Midna?_

"Yes." The girl was sitting on the floor. Blood was trickling down her face. "Though I am not."

"ARE You? Remember why you are here! YOU let him escape! You deserve-"

Link squeezed his eyes shut. There was a scream.

"To DIE!"

Link opened his eyes again. A large cut was stretched across the girl's back. She dissolved into a shadow.

"I meant to! I am proud to admit that I meant to!" Her voice was shrill. She started cackling insanely. "You are a torturer! It wouldn't have been long before he stopped being human! I AM NOT WORTHLESS!"

"I'm guessing you freed all those others, too?" Zant screeched. "I, in fact know a bit about shadows. They actually have quite a weak spot!"

He grabbed a lantern off the wall and lit it. Light pierced through the room.

The shadow was gliding around the room, writhing and shrieking, and it could find no shadows to hide in.

Link tried to yell and scream.

_Why for me? _He thought, bitterly realizing that he was not really in the lab again, but instead was being forced to see this. He felt the world going black again.

…

Somebody was shaking him. He opened his eyes.

"Hey, 'Josh'. You weren't at the dorm." It was Jonathan. His mind was buzzing with mixed signals.

For a moment, Link was shaking and his eyes were wide.

"What? Why…?"

Jonathan frowned.

"Oh?"

"Bad… very bad… Bad, bad…" Link was muttering to himself.

"Get up!" Jonathan hissed. "I'm not supposed to be out at this hour! Come on!"

He wheeled down the hall. Link stood up, grinding his teeth. He followed Jonathan down the hall.

His mind drifted back to the girl who had helped him escape. He stopped walking.

"Why?"

After wheeling about a meter, Jonathan noticed Link wasn't with him.

"Josh?"

Link was staring at the ground. His shoulders were shaking and his head was in his hands.

"Are you… crying?" Josh asked, in shock.

Link did not answer. "It's… all… because of…"

He wiped his eyes. "It's… all… MY... fault."

Jonathan wheeled closer.

"What is? What did you do?"

Link sank to the ground.

"Why?" tears were streaming down his face. "You were so nice! WHY FOR ME?"

"Josh?"

"I was almost inhuman! You didn't have to come for me! It wouldn't have made a difference! _I'M_ WORTHLESS! WHY DID YOU DO THAT FOR ME?"

Jonathan was now next to him. He was scared… no, he was terrified. In his mind, he wanted to help 'Josh' badly, but something was stopping him.

"YOU WOULD'T HAVE HAD TO SUFFER!"

He slammed his hands on the ground.

"Josh, calm down!" Jonathan whispered.

Link looked up. His eyes nearly made Jonathan scream.

They were pale and flashing with some emotion he had never seen before. He wanted to calm him down. He knew this feeling all too well.

"She's dying for me… and I am sitting here… listening to you… tell me what to do."

Jonathan reached down. "Josh? Who…?"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Link tossed him off. "Don't call me that!"

He gripped the jacket and screamed.

A teacher came out of her room, obviously up late grading papers.

"Students! What are you doing at this hour?"

"_DON'T_!" Link screamed. "TELL ME WHAT TO DO!"

Jonathan was now shaking. "Ms… he's…"

Link suddenly got very pale. His eyes changed color and became such a light blue that most people would think they were white.

"Are you alright?" The teacher gasped.

"She's dying! She's dying!****_He'll kill anybody who protects me_! She's DYING!" Link screamed. Realization dawned on him. "Zelda's going to DIE!"

Jonathan suddenly felt released, and he grabbed Link's shoulders. "Stop!" He yelled.

"No!" Link tried to shake him off, but Jonathan gripped him tightly. He felt in complete control.

"It's OK!" He yelled. "She won't die!"

Link's eyes returned normal color. He rested his head on his knees.

"I promise." Jonathan whispered.

"I'm…" He gripped Jonathan's leg. "…scared for her."

Jonathan bit his lip. "He's on medicine from the nurse. Sorry."

And shooed the teacher away.

Jonathan helped walk Link to his dorm.

Link swallowed and pushed open the door. It was identical to Zelda's, just more boy-ish.

Jonathan wheeled over to his bed. "Josh, you should take a bath." He said to Link. "You smell weird."

Link nodded, a little jerkily, and walked to the bathroom whiled muttering strange things. Before he walked into the bathroom, he spoke a little louder.

"Don't call me Josh anymore." And he closed the door, from within which came more muffled muttering, and then the sound of water running.

It was silent except for the water running.

Jonathan wheeled around his room. His hand thumped against his cell phone in his pocket, ready to dial the lab at any moment. But something made him draw back from the numbers.

It was as if the shadows on the wall were whispering for him to not to, others urging him on.

From the bathroom came a muffled shout, "Do I take a bath with my clothes ON or OFF?"

"Off!" Jonathan yelled, failing at holding back a laugh.

In the bathroom, Link stared, confused, at his clothes.

"How do I take them off?" He asked. Jonathan rolled his eyes.

"Here, I'll help with the shirt. You have to do the rest."

"Uh huh…"

Jonathan entered the bathroom. Link was filling up a bath, looking kind of confused. His jacket was on the floor.

"Lift up your arms." Jonathan ordered. Link did so, and Jonathan helped him pull of the shirt.

Blunt shock spread over Jonathan's face.

"What?" Link asked. He stared down at his chest. "Oh, crap."

It was also covered in the needle marks. "CRAP!"

Link quickly squirmed out of his pants and leapt into the tub so that Jonathan would leave. He drew the curtains quickly.

Jonathan left the room, heart pounding. It was not what he had seen; it was what he had recognized.

He then started on his homework.

Jonathan was on the bed, texting to Siera.

_I saw them. The needle marks. It's true, all of it!_

He clicked send and waited.

Soon his phone buzzed.

_Scary. Well, I was wondering if you could take a break from this discovery to help me with something?_

_What?_

_Umm… I wanted to meet you in the courtyard. Tomorrow? If you want to. _

_I'd LOVE to. _

_Great! How's 1:00? _

_Great. _

A great amount of adrenaline went through Jonathan. Finally! They were going to hang out. He was exited and happy.

In truth, he really likes Siera. The way she was so sure about what she did amazed him. Also, he loves her smile.

Link drained the tub, wrapping himself in a towel.

He knew how to use a towel because in the lab, they gave him a wet towel and a dry one to clean himself. It wasn't real cleaning, but they were too lazy to put on soap.

Link wrapped himself in the towel and then left the bathroom. His cuts were less noticeable.

"Where are my clothes?" He asked Jonathan, rubbing himself off.

Jonathan raised his eyebrows. "You can't honestly wear those again before they're washed and patched up."

Link frowned. "I've kind of grown partial to that outfit, thank you lots and lots." He held out his hand.

Jonathan shook his head defiantly and wheeled over to his dresser.

"Take some real clothes. Here." He tossed Link some jeans, a T-shirt and a jean-jacket. He also threw him a pair of underwear.

Link looked bewildered, but put them on in spite of it.

Jonathan lay down for bed. Link was sitting on the floor and staring at his new clothes.

He lay down on the floor and curled up in a corner and closed his eyes. Jonathan turned out the light.

**Review, please! **


	11. Chapter 11: Back To The Tricks

**SATURDAY AFTERNOON**

**Back to the tricks**

Link sat in the back of a truck, watching out the back window as Zelda was trying to follow him. It was like ice had gripped him. Jonathan was human again, and he was trying to apologize to Zelda, obviously trying to explain about how he could be controlled by Zant, and that it wasn't his fault, and he was really sorry, but Zelda ignored him.

Link watched them disappear from sight as the truck traveled back into the woods.

Link knew that he would be back at the lab in about half an hour. He had that long.

As the minutes trickled past, Link continuously stared at the sunlit sky. It looked pretty. Actually, the sun was setting, and the world was getting darker.

Link hung his head and stared blankly at the ground. His hands were bound with a strong rope.

His hands began to fiddle with the bindings. They only had had enough rope to tie up his hands. He raised different feet at different times, trying to stretch them, but he only succeeded in falling over.

He stat up again and lifted his leg. Over and over he did this until he could lift it up without trying. He suddenly felt friendlier to the strength and flexibility enhancing chemicals that hurt the most.

His mind began to work out a plan. He lay down on the seat and stared at the roof of the truck, thinking hard.

Link must have drifted off, because the next thing he knew he was staring up at the building's entrance. Zant had hit a buzzer, the door opened, and the sanitized smell stung Link's nose.

His heart sped up. Only one word was in his mind.

_No._

His lips began to move. He had to stall so that his plan would work.

"Zant, uh, there's a giant looming loophole in our deal, you see." Link stood up in the back of the truck, his mind buzzing.

"Oh?"

"Yeah. I said I wouldn't try to escape once in that room…"

"Go on…"

"Uh, yeah… I'm not in the room yet, and you didn't bind my feet…"

Link stood up in the back of the car and lifted up his leg.

In a few moments, the people in the car were all knocked out, a bloody cut made from Link's sneaker on their foreheads. Link lowered his foot and broke a window with one blow. He swiftly leapt out of the car, where Zant was standing, glowering.

"You've gotten better."

"Well, I try."

He shrugged. Zant pulled out a knife.

"But you DO realize that the fact I know all your pressure points is a large advantage on my part?" He asked. "One doesn't study one specimen and then forget it in a few weeks.

Link's fingers fidgeted around the rope that held his hands together.

Zant hurled the knife. He threw it a bit awkwardly, thus leaving Link little time to leap out of the way.

He curved out of the way and the knife sliced into the ropes binding his hands and sinking a little bit into his skin as well.

Swearing lightly, Link shook off the ropes. Zant looked stunned.

"You missed…" Link plucked the knife off his hand. "..unless you were trying to cut these off..."

He dropped the slightly bloody knife onto the ground and wiped the blood on his hand on his shirt.

"Next time, aim better." He said nonchalantly.

Zant narrowed his eyes.

"I hadn't planned on you getting out."

"Naturally."

"So what now? Do we fight?"

Link shrugged off his jean jacket. "Whatever fits?"

"Very well."

Zant ran at him. Link quickly leapt to the side and tried to bring his hand down on Zant. Zant dodged Link's counter attack and swept up behind him.

Link saw the tip of Zant's sneaker next to his head. It shot against his skull, and he felt a quick blast of pain.

Trying to shake it off, Link grabbed the sneak and pulled, bringing Zant up over his shoulder and hard onto the ground.

Zant quickly flipped back up.

Link's adrenaline was working fast. He saw Zant lunge forward, and instinct took over.

He grabbed Zant's arm and, as he came forward, sent a powerful blow to his chest.

Zant fell limp. Amazed, Link tried to revive him with the special movement. Nothing happened. Exited, Link took his pulse. There was a faint one. He knew he had hit a powerful pressure point… he probably was either almost dead or just _really _knocked out.

Leaving Zant's body lying in the entrance, Link stared inside. He took a deep breath, and put his jacket back on.

"Alright, wolf boy…" He took a step. "Let's go…"

Another step followed, and another. Each step made his cuts feel deeper, and his pulse quickened. Soon he was running.

He didn't know if fear was making him run of the curiously high amount of adrenaline currently racing through him.

White lights were flashing all around him. Then he saw a hastily patched up window; the one he had jumped through.

He had a feeling he was close.

Then he smelled people. Not scientists, but people. And chemicals. Dozens of chemicals.

He whirled around the corner. And there were the cells- at least two hundred. He felt a swooping sensation in his stomach.

Link began walking down the hall, trying not to look at the people inside the cells. He felt their eyes. Trying not to look back, He looked for the number- 15747.

When he came to it, he searched for a little button, a key or something. Finding a small knob, he turned it, and the cell doors clanked open automatically.

In Jonathan's room, Zelda was smashing lamps and tearing open pillows. Jonathan was crouched in a corner, trying to calm her down without getting hurt.

"Zelda, honest! This all was against my will! ZEL-"

"Shut UP!" Zelda screamed. Jonathan bit his lip.

The painful memory hit him again.

"Zelda, listen to me!" He yelled.

"NO!" Zelda tore open a pillow again and started pulling out feathers.

"Zelda, STOP!" Jonathan flew out of the corner and grabbed her shoulders. She was slammed into a sitting position on the couch.

"LISTEN to me." Jonathan said. Zelda squirmed, but his grip was tight.

"I was… I was tested on, too." The words swam out of his throat reluctantly, the same way Link had told her about it, only less so. Zelda froze, and then stared. He had to be telling the truth. Anybody else wouldn't sound so... so sad and reluctant.

Jonathan let go and sat down next to her.

"When I was a child, I was taken to the lab. They burned a symbol onto my back, and ran numerous tests. I didn't know what happened to me. All I knew was that

I was different and that I could not control my actions."

"But I was never a big deal. Other people of my kind had the same reaction, or so I was told.

Then, a week later, a boy my age was tested on with the same chemical, and he turned into a wolf."

"Link?" Zelda whispered.

"Yes… only I knew him as test subject 13443." Jonathan said solemnly. He got up and began to pace slowly. "This transformation was a big deal. I witnessed when a symbol was burned into his hand, and saw him transform many times."

"Not a week had passed until I was released…by a girl who had a similar reaction to me. I fought my way out and went home."

"My family and friends shunned me. It took me a day to realize that my brilliant hazel eyes had turned green, and I knew it was real."

He pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I recognized him… Link, if that's what you want to call him... when I saw a picture of him on the internet. A wanted poster. It told me everything... everything I needed to know. I was going to help him…"

He sighed and closed his eyes. "But Zant somehow got into my brain again."

Zelda sat there for a moment longer. She let it sink in slowly.

"We have to find him."

Now it was Jonathan's time to freeze. And he did.

"Are you nuts?" He asked.

"Yes." Zelda said. She stood up. "I can contact his brain the same way he sent me memories. I can track him."

"Wait, WHAT?"

"Hey, I'm nuts, ok?"

Zelda gripped her hand that was slowly beginning to prickle.

Zant was sitting on the floor of a room, weary and speaking through a communicator on the wall.

"What I has happened? Did my trap work?"

"He has yet to find it.

But he's being contacted… by the girl."

"How, my lord?"

"Through the mark. She's trying to find him… Zant, lead him to me…"

"Yes… lord Gannon."

Link stepped inside the cell, reaching out to Midna. Harsh light shone from a powerful light, and she was curled into a ball in the center of the room.

"Mid…?"

Midna threw him off and backed away.

"I won't… hurt, you, Midna…"

"That's what they all say." Her voice was low, harsh and raw.

"No, I'm here to help. I'm trying to get you out, I'm a friend..."

"Stay AWAY."

Link bit his lip and straightened up. He looked at the luminous light beam that ran around the room. It hurt his eyes.

"I'll prove that I'm here to help you." He said quietly. He took off his jacket and dropped it onto her head so that it shielded her from the light. Taking a large breath, Link rammed his elbow into the light beam.

It cracked and shattered, sparks flying. Link held his ground and drove his skin into the light until it broke, disconnected and burnt out.

Midna looked up. She watched closely as Link took his burnt and bleeding elbow out of the light.

He smiled down at her.

"… Friend…" Midna said quietly. She jumped up and threw her arms around him.

Link closed his eyes and gripped her tightly.

She was just a bit smaller than him, which was odd because he had always imagined her a lot taller.

"I came to get you out of here." Link said quietly, taking her hand and pulling her out of the cell.

"No!" Midna said, reaching for it.

"Shush, Midna. What is it?"

He calmly let go of her arm. If he forced her to go anywhere, she would freak out.

"My people! I can't leave them here. All the twili…"

_Twili…_ Link remembered Zant's explanation of Jonathan. There were more?

"Wait a moment."

Link glanced around silently for an emergency 'all release' button. There was none. They didn't have enough time to find one.

He tried the pull Midna toward the exit again, but again she wailed and refused to budge. He let go and took a breath.

"Please, Midna. Please."

"No!"

Frustrated, Link leaned against the wall.

A small buzz sounded.

All the doors clanked open.

"What?" Link straitened up again. The wall he had leaned on had not been a wall at all – but a simple flat square of rubber that had disguised the all-release button.

How convenient, yet… odd. Link felt like somebody arranged for this to happen.

Link shrugged off the emotion.

The spirits, twili and people rushed out of their cages, blinking in confusion. They scurried toward the exits without questioning it. They were out.

That's what's important.

Link was satisfied now that the experiment victims were out. Midna looked calm, too.

Suddenly, an alarm sounded.

"Perfect." Link growled. He lifted Midna onto his back. He began to run.

Midna blinked incoherently. "Link?" She asked softly.

Link was speeding down the halls. "What?"

"I'm on your back." Midna said pointedly. Link blushed. This was awkward. Why was he using this technique?

Oh yeah. Midna was weaker than him right now, and he reacted by instinct. She couldn't move as fast, and would fall behind otherwise.

"It increases my mobility without having to hold your hand. The added weight doesn't bug me… you're quite light." Link thought up a story. He didn't want to offend her by telling her she was weak.

Midna shrugged and held tight. The flashing red lights were everywhere- it was bright and confusing. It was hard to move around with the prisoners rushing through doors.

"We've been here before-"Midna gasped sharply. "Turn back!"

"What?" Link obediently turned around and ran in the opposite direction. "What is it?"

"Shadowfillius crystillilian." Midna squeaked. She squeezed him around his middle.

"Where?" He asked.

Midna screamed again. "Wrong way!"

"Where is it?" He asked. He turned around to meet a thick black fog at his face. It was dotted with sparkling orange crystals.

He didn't have a chance to yell. He was consumed by the fog and was soon on the ground, a creature on his back.


	12. Chapter 12: Midna?

**SATURDAY AFTERNOON**

**Midna?**

Damn, this was familiar. Link, frustrated, looked down at his paws. He hated this. He hated this SO much.

"Midna?" He asked. Well, it was more of a bark.

A low moan replied to him. "No… not again…"

Link turned his head. A small imp was lying there, limply hanging on.

He sniffed her idly.

Midna moaned again and sat up, her head pulsing. "It's me, don't worry… I'm as cursed as you are when it comes to this energy…"

Link lowered his head back down to the floor. He began to walk again.

Midna changed her position. "Does it bother you at all?"

Link sniffed the air. "Not anymore than it bothers you that I'm a beast."

He continued to walk, gathering speed now. He passed a few spirits.

Suddenly, His paw began to sting. Link ignored it.

"Midna." He barked. "You seem…sad."

"I am, Link. I really am. Imagine being stolen by strange people and transformed into a hideous creature by these strange people…"

"Yeah… I have no IDEA what that feels like…"

"Sorry… It's not your fault."

Link's hand prickled again. He was running now. He couldn't focus on it.

Midna buried her face in his neck.

Link was still running, but then his instinct switched to autopilot. His brain zoned out completely and he saw Zelda, staring at the sky.

"… have I reached you?" Zelda asked. She slowly came into focus.

Link walked closer to her. They appeared to be in the middle of nowhere.

"I think so. What are you doing?"

"Trying to contact you. How are you okay?"

"Change of plans- I found a loophole in the plan and fought my way past Zant and the guards. Then I found Midna and released everybody."

"Where are you now?"

"Rushing down a corridor with Midna on my back, trying to find my way out without hurting her. And you? Why aren't you in your dorm?"

"I'm coming to help you."

"…that's nice, Zelda. But I really want you to turn around and go back."

"But… I want to help."

"Yes, I know, but I've got a tingle in the back of my head. I think you shouldn't come."

"But… you're my Mr. Fluffy."

"Be that as it may, I've got all the help I need."

"But… you're my Mr. Fluffy."

"Zelda, I just want you safe right now. So head back."

"But…"

"What?"

"You're MY mister fluffy."

"Zelda…"

"I'm coming to help you, Mr. Fluffy."

"But Mr. Fluffy can find his way back home by himself. He's well trained."

"Mr. Fluffy is a dumb mutt who can't find his way out of an empty room. You're getting the Mr. Fluffies all mixed up."

"Mr. fluffy is offended."

"Mr. Fluffy should be. Now I'm coming to get him."

"NO, you're not."

"YES, I AM."

"Zelda, DON'T come. Period. Exclamation point. Cross bones. Biohazard."

"Mr. Fluffy, we appear to be breaking up. I can't hear you. I think you said to come." Zelda gave him a peck on the cheek and then started to fade.

"ZELDA!"

She waved happily and then dissapeared.

"Damn."

"Midna?" Link barked. Midna patted his head. "Yes?"

"… How much do you know?"

"As much as any other person knows."

Link halted.

"How much information do you know that I don't? – IMPORTANT information."

Midna was silent. Link waited impatiently.

Then Midna yawned her petty little yawn.

A tingle ran down Link's spine. Letting out the prisoners out had been confusing and time consuming. He felt like his pressing the secret brick was no accident, especially since now he was, well… lost in a fog. Letting out the prisoners had helped them, which was good, but now he probably couldn't get out.

He was trapped like a rat.

Or, lab rat, per say.

Or, actually, a lab WOLF.

Somebody was after him at this second.

"Link, let me put it this way… I know more than I should."

Link began moving again. He might as well.

"I know a lot of secrets. This fog, for example. Its ground shadow crystal mixed with helium and whatnot. It's not technically possible, I presume, but it IS dark magic,-"

"CHEMICALS." Link corrected her.

"Dark magic. And I know about Twili, and Hylians-"

"Who?"

Midna let out a silent moan. He was so clueless.

"Hylians and Twili. The twili are people that are not as powerful against Zant. He even started a project to control them. I believe that's how he got to you, by finding somebody with Twili. I watched a lot of tests, undercover. I saw you transform. I know almost as many dark magic effects as you do,"

"You mean the chemicals."

"Yes, Link, I mean the chemicals." Midna growled, gripping his ear. Sadly, her imp's squeeze was not nearly as strong as her human squeeze. Link didn't react.

"But I also know a lot about you."

"How much?" Link asked, feeling suddenly self-conscious.

"I know that they've cloned you."

"Cloned?"

"They've made a duplicate. He was a shadow."

"They couldn't get all the chemicals into me at one time, so they made another."

"No, he wasn't tested on. He was going to be used to learn more about who you were. Like a probe…He's gone..." Midna pressed her hands into her eyes.

"He killed himself?" Link was taken aback. It was quite possible. He quite nearly did it himself, it he had been coherent enough to find out a way how.

"To not have to endure what you had to. Actually, we don't know if he's dead or not. But he's appeared to have faded, and to have done so himself."

"That's… sad."

Midna wiped her eyes.

Link's pace slowed. It was harder to walk than normal, with all the dark fog around them.

Midna, too, seemed tired.

He pushed on. His paw was prickling angrily at him.

Was he being tracked?

Zelda was quickly stumbling through the forest. Jonathan was behind her.

They noticed a person rushing past them.

"Excuse me!" Zelda called. The person, a young boy with blond hair looked at her in shock. Behind him was a girl with short brown hair.

They both were bare footed, wearing worn shirts and jeans. Zelda recalled Link's first appearance.

"Did you come from the lab?"

Their eyes widened and they backed away. "We were forced to help! It wasn't our fault!"

Then they ran.

"Wait!" Zelda called out.

"Just let then go."

Jonathan whispered.

He seemed uncomfortable.

"Something wrong?" Zelda asked kindly.

"Yeah… um, I'm supposed to be somewhere."

"Where?"

"It's one o' clock."

"So?"

"I missed…Nothing, never mind."

Jonathan shrugged it off. Zelda was ahead of him again- she was more nimble and more eager to reach the destination.

They pressed through the shrubbery.

It had been nearly an hour after Zelda had contacted Link, and they still couldn't find the lab. After nearly despairing, Zelda's hand prickled. She looked up slowly.

In front of her was the lab peeking through the trees.

A truck was in the entrance, full of knocked-out chemists. There was a spot of blood on the ground, but no sign of anything else.

A pungent smell irritated her delicate nose. She took a step toward the entrance.

"Jonathan?" She asked. "Are you coming?"

Jonathan shook his head no. "I can hardly look at this place."

He stumbled toward the car and leaned against it. Hand on forehead, eyes closed.

Zelda nodded. "Try to make yourself useful…"

Zelda walked inside, one hand in her jean pocket, the other fiddling with her hair.

"Huh." She mumbled. She took a few more steps, glancing around. She walked down a hallway, bright lights lining the ceiling.

Zelda felt a hand tugging on her shirt sleeve.

Whipping around, she met the eyes of a little girl. The girl had dark brown eyes and dark brown hair. Her skin was evenly tan, despite the lack of sunlight.

"What are you doing in here?" She whispered.

Zelda swallowed. "I'm looking for a friend." She smiled softly, thinking about him, and how much courage he had to do this.

The girl shook her head and let go of Zelda's sleeve. "No point. They were all let out before they released the fog."

"Fog?" Zelda asked, bending down.

"The black shadow fog that turns people into spirits. Everybody got out, from what I know. All the chemists are in a secluded room for their safety, but the people in trouble got out." The girl stared at her feet.

"It's not much of my business, but he's still in here." Zelda patted the girl's head. The girl smiled.

"I can help you look… it's my job. It's really important, too. I've made sure everybody got out. All my friends left a while ago…" She said.

Zelda thought of the boy and girl who she had ran into a few minutes ago.

"My name's Luda."

"I'm Zelda."

Zelda stood up.

Luda nodded. She pointed down a corridor. "That's the way."

Jonathan examined the car. The door was unlocked. He opened it and pulled

A person out of the driver's seat. He pulled another out of the passenger seat, and two more out form the back. Leaving them in a groggy heap, He stripped them of their any weapons, and then climbed in the car.

He lifted up a carpet pad. A few wires poked their heads up.

He remembered studying mechanics, and bent down to re-arrange them.

Zelda noticed Luda looking down the hallway. Her eyes were glossy, yet determined.

"Luda." Zelda said quietly. "Your friends left. Go with them."

"No!" Luda's face turned red. "I want to help! I watched, not doing anything, as these people suffered! I was forced to HELP the enemy! I couldn't do a thing until now, and now, I will!"

Zelda smiled. "I understand. But right now, isn't your safety important, too?"

Luda's lip stuck out in a pout, but then retracted.

"You hate it here. I do too, Luda. You can go. You've done enough." Zelda smiled. "This is my job." She knew she had to be doing the right thing.

Luda's eyes sparkled with tears. "I just…"

"It's ok." Zelda ruffled Luda's hair and then pointed her in the correct direction to the exit.

Luda sighed. "I'll find my friends."

Zelda watched her leave.

She then ran down the hallway, determined to find Link.

Zelda heard a small click. She felt the floor below her give way. A trap?

Somebody _knew_ she was coming and would go this way.

Luda? No, _she_ had been trapped here. She wanted too badly to help to have done this.

Instead of screaming and freaking out, she made a grab to the side. Her fingers slipped. She fell, confused, and her mind was only focused on how she could get out and how she could find Link.

Her world became unfocused as she fell into darkness.


	13. Chapter 13

**SATURDAY LATE AFTERNOON**

**The minds behind **

Luda darted outside. She shrieked when she saw the passed-out chemists.

Jonathan's head shot up and swiveled around.

"Hello?" He said uncertainly.

Luda clasped her hand on her mouth.

"Who are you?" She asked.

"Not with them." Jonathan gave a little nod at the chemists.

Luda sighed, relieved. "In that case, I'm Luda."

"I'm Jonathan. What were you doing in there?" Jonathan asked.

"I was forced to help make dark magic. What are you doing out here?"

"My friends went in there. I'm hot-wiring the car."

"May I help?" Luda asked.

"How old are you?" Jonathan raised an eyebrow.

"I lost track. Ten. Eight. Doesn't matter, though."

"In that case, sure. As long as you know how to help me."

"I've been wanting to take revenge on these creeps since I got here. I've learned how to hot-wire cars. Especially these."

"Good. I'm having the most trouble."

Link's paw hurt. Midna was holding him kindly, as if it would help.

The pain split.

_Zelda? _Link thought. _Did she come here? No, no… _

He was staring into white. Zelda was nowhere.

What point was there in this empty room?

"Hello?" He called out. No answer.

Then why..?

"Hello."

Link turned around. The voice was coming from nowhere.

A scene un-dissolved (if that's what you want to call it) in front of him. He was in a room with stone floor, wall, and ceiling. A single chair was in front of him, facing him.

A man sat in that chair. That man had an evil look in his eye.

"Who are you?" Link's voice was hardly audible. He spoke up. "What are you doing here?"

The man smiled.

"That shouldn't concern you."

"Get to the point. How did you access my mind? - Because that DOES concern me." Link's hands rested on his hips. It was then he realized he was human.

"Gosh, you're a pushy one."

"My patience was sucked up over the past eight years."

Link shifted his weight from one side to the other. He decided not to care why he was human. He wanted to get out of this vision.

"I see." The man sighed, resting his head in his hands. "I guess there's no use in this creepy design."

"Who are you?" Link repeated. "Get to the POINT."

"I…am Ganondorf." The man stood up. He was taller than Link by a _lot._

Link just blankly looked up at him. "Now THAT doesn't concern me."

No appearance concerned him anymore. But the fact that he had accessed him through a vision did.

Ganondorf reached out to him. Link shied back.

"It really should." The man took a step forward.

Link backed away, not knowing why.

"Well, it doesn't. I'm sick of this. I've got to get out of the situation I'm in, and I really could care less who you are!" He turned around and tried to walk away, but there was nowhere to go.

Link did not understand that this man was really actually a big deal.

"I don't care about you, OR this vision!"

"What about this girl?" Ganondorf said nonchalantly, sitting back down.

Link turned around. An illusion had formed in front of him. It was Zelda; she was falling through a dark gap.

Speechless, Link stared at her. He walked toward her, lost in a trance, convinced it was her.

They were inches away. Zelda seemed to be loosing consciousness. He reached out, but the image dissolved.

"No!" He grabbed at the mist that faded through the floor.

He looked slowly up at Ganondorf, danger split along his face, and hatred split along his eyes.

"Where is she?" Link growled. Ganondorf smiled.

"I knew that would catch your attention."

"WHERE IS SHE!" Link screamed, trying to grab Ganondorf by the throat.

His hand went right through him.

"I'm an illusion and nothing but." Ganondorf sighed, and then smiled. "In this area."

"Where can I find you?"

"In this Lab. I run it. Didn't you know?"

Link glanced around the room. His fists clenched and unclenched. No, he never knew that.

"Why?"

"What?"

"Why are you doing this? It doesn't make sense!"

Ganondorf smiled. "You have something I want."

"What? Take it! You've already taken my sanity, mind and being!" Link screamed out of rage.

"You have to find me, Wolf boy."

The scene dissolved, and Link was back to his running.

Zelda awoke in a dark room. Her right hand had been chained to a hook in the wall. For a moment she struggled in vain, using her other hand to try and pry the metal off, but it was no use. She was feeling terrible that she had gotten to herself into this when she noticed a figure in the room.

A man was in the far corner, speaking through what looked like a communicator.

She sat on the floor, rigid and scared. She had just seen Link a moment ago. How? Why was he gone now?

Zelda shivered, but she convinced herself she was cold.

She had no fear of this man. At least, she felt she shouldn't have to.

The man pressed a button. She couldn't make out his face in the shadows.

"Oh, good, you're awake."

Zelda frowned. This was a peculiar situation. She had never been tied to a wall in a dark room before.

"I need you to be quiet, ok?" The man said. Zelda glared at him. She wanted to yell at him, but something told her it was a bad idea.

A light flicked on. The man had hit a switch. Zelda now got a chance to look around the room she was in… and she nearly passed out again.

The room was all white, and it was small, but the walls were lined with cabinets that were filled with dark crystals and matter, mixing tools, and needles. Lots and lots of needles.

"I see you know what this is." The man smiled. "Don't worry. It's not your fault you fell in here. We set the trap, knowing you would come."

Zelda found her voice. "For what reason?"

She swallowed. "Why am I here?"

"You need you to help lure him here."

_Lure WHO here? _Zelda's hand sparked. And she knew.

"No!" She yelled. "You can't!"

"Can't what?"

"Link… you can't just… what are you going to do to him?"

"You named him? Cute. If you insist on knowing, I'll tell you. You won't live forever, you know."

Zelda let her hair fall over her face.

"That boy is the only thing that's stopping me. I must get rid of him."

"Stopping you from what?" Zelda's heart was pounding.

"Obtaining power, of course. I must control. This chemist lab… heh… it's a cover up. The real work is done in secret. Even the boy believes that this place is a chemistry lab. He will never guess that this is a place of the dark arts."

"Wait… so you tortured him here just to get what you wanted, and he doesn't even KNOW about you? Do you know how scarred he is? What could you have achieved from tormenting him?"

"I had hoped to drive him into a state of madness, but his friend helped me fail in that one. He must be weakened."

"You're insane!" Zelda screamed. "You're insane, you're insane, you're insane!"

"And you are naïve… Just be quiet, alright?"

Zelda's throat tightened. "I'll…"

She hung her head.

"Link? What's wrong?" Midna asked. Link's pace, while remaining the same speed, had become rigid.

"Nothing." Link hissed through his wolf snarl. Midna patted his head.

"Alrighty." Midna bit her lip.

"Hey, Midna?" Link asked.

"Yeah?"

"Do you happen to know where the boss of this place is?"

Midna leaned down near his face. His eyes were glaring ahead dangerously.

She straitened up. Link's stride was increasing speed now; possibly out of urgency.

"Yeah." Midna said casually. She hoped not to startle him.

Link stopped so abruptly that he sent Midna flying. She landed about five feet away with a loud thump.

Link raced toward her. She shielded her face, but he stopped before he could hit her.

"Where?" He asked. His breathing was ragged.

"Eh..?" Midna removed her hands from her face. "Oh, uh… here, look."

She picked herself up off the ground and stumbled toward a board on the wall.

The shadow fog was dense and thick, but had somehow settled down onto the ground. At least the air was clear.

She pointed. "It's a map for those who don't know better. New chemists, I guess…" She nodded. Link plodded up beside her.

"Ok, I'm lost." He stared blankly up and the mixture of symbols.

"No, we're right here. See, we're here, and the entrance to his office is right here."

She pointed to two locations. Link nodded solemnly, his dog's memory catching on and saving the image into his mind.

"Here, hop on." He turned his back to Midna. Midna smiled and leapt onto her position near his neck, glad now that he had calmed down.

"Why?" Midna asked as Link was bolting down corridors. "Why did you want to go?"

"Zelda's in there." Link said, running on.

Midna swallowed. "Oh…" Link made a swift turn. She lost her position for a moment.

Link slowed as to let her regain her balance.

"We're still friends, right?" Midna asked. Link was gaining speed again. Wind rushed passed her ears.

"Of course. You saved my life, and I yours. We'll always be friends."

Midna took a sharp breath and leaned down on his head, her little arms folding between his ears. He took little notice, but instead continued.

"Ok, good."

Zelda felt foolish and stupid. Link had warned her not to come, yet she had despite that. She had wanted too badly to be the hero, and now she was a nuisance.

She felt awful. If only she had been wiser…

"You, know, it's going to be easy for him to just come and get you." The man was saying.

"Huh?"

"The boy. He can come in, grab you and leave with little difficulty. He is stronger than I estimated."

"So?"

"So, you're going to have to be harder to get."

The man was gone.

"Wait!" Zelda called into the empty room. Her heart started to beat very hard.

And them everything happened very fast.

She turned to her side, staring at her hand chained to the wall, and in a dark flash, there was the man.

She felt a prick in her hand, and saw in horror a needle filled with dark and orange matter. She didn't have time to scream.

The needle emptied, and all was black.

**Saturday Night**

**Little brother?**

Link was bolting along the corridors. He glanced to each side. Machines peered through the windows of some rooms. Link wondered what these tubes did, or why there was a glass cylinder in one room.

The passageways became narrow, and the shadow fog ceased to exist, not rolling this deep into the lab. As soon as it disappeared, Link shook the flakes off like fleas, and they fell away. He was now on all fours, Midna perched on his back. She stood up.

Midna extended a hand, and Link took it.

"Where do we go?" He asked.

"What are you looking for?"

The voice was not his, nor Midna's. Link whirled around. A pale white wolf was sitting back a few paces, in the dark mist. In his hurry, he hadn't noticed it.

Link felt Midna creep behind him, hiding.

"I'm looking for the person who runs this place." Link replied. "He has something I want."

"I understand quite well." The wolf barked. "I haven't been able to get near him, though, and I wish badly for revenge."

It walked toward him until it was but a few steps away from him, and then it stopped. Its dark eyes analyzed him.

"I know you." The wolf whispered.

Link blinked. "You know me? How?"

The wolf, too, shook off the shadow dust. In its place, a boy sat. His skin was pale and his hair was jet black. Needle marks ran up his arms.

Link heard Midna whisper something behind him. "No way…"

"You… you are the reason I was created." The boy pointed at Link's chest.

"What?"

The boy stood up. "You are the reason I was created. You're the real one, aren't you?"

"I'm the what?"

"The original, experiment 13443. My original."

"Midna, you know who this guy is?" Link turned to her.

"Midna?" The boy then saw her. His eyes widened.

"Midna!"

He started to run toward her, but stopped.

His eyes darted around her, observing her. "You're Midna, right?"

Midna stared up at him. She pointed to her chest. "Midna." Then to the wall. "Wall."

Link wondered what this curios practice was, and why it seemed to be working. The boy's face lightened with every word.

"Light. Floor. Tile. Boy."

The boy smiled at her. "You are Midna."

Midna glared at him. "I searched for you! Why did you disappear like that?"

"I sure didn't want to die!"

"Wait," Link took a step to the side so that he could see both of them. "Who is he?"

"He's my friend, Link." Midna didn't look at him. She walked over top the boy and whacked him on the head.

He still smiled like a dumb animal. "Definitely Midna."

"Hey! I'm still here!" Link said a little too loudly. The boy stared at him with a weird expression. "And I still don't know who this guy is- a chemist, like you, Midna? Or-"

"Like I would be." The boy spat, cutting in. "Don't you know who I am?" The boy asked.

Midna shook her head. "He doesn't know, he won't like it-"

"I'm your clone."

Link's head began to spin. This was his duplicate? Wasn't his duplicate dead?

Midna told him he had a clone, but this guy…

The boy understood his confused look.

"I am your exact match on the inside, which is why I was created. The reason I look like this,"(He pulled on a lock of his black hair) "Is the other thing I was made of." The boy lowered his eyes. "I'm you and darkness mixed together. Your shadow."

Link stared at him. "I have a clone." The words began to sink in. He gripped his hair. "I was cloned."

The clone did not look at him. "But I'm ONLY your clone. My purpose is to die and be taken apart for spare parts, so I was given no family."

Midna sighed and stared at the ground. "The only person that shares his DNA is you, Link."

Link hardly heard them. His mind was spinning, and he could see people in the mind's eye, talking his blood, staring at him, cutting off a lock of his hair…

Link took a multiple deep breaths. He stared at the clone, who still didn't look at him.

"Hey." He said, walking over to him. The clone's eyes snapped up to meet his own, and they were frighteningly dark.

The clone held his arms. Link was the same size as him, but right now he seemed taller.

In the clone's eyes, Link could see fear and anxiety. At this moment, he could be accepted or rejected. Link knew how that felt, when he was outside of Zelda's sliding door. But Zelda hadn't left him out there, she opened the door. And Link would do the same.

"I don't remember ever having a family. When I try really hard to remember, all I get are the streets. For all I know, _I_ don't have any parents." He observed the boy, who stared back. "So this right here is my brother. He's the only part of a 'family' I have."

The boy stared at him. "Really?"

"You are the brother of a link between man and wolf." Link patted his clone on the shoulder.

The clone closed his eyes. "I have a brother…"

"And a friend." Midna took his hand.

Link's own hand pricked before he could smile.

In a flash, he remembered Zelda. His smile faded and he collapsed onto his knees. How could he have forgotten?

"Link?"

"What's wrong?"

"I…"

Link stared back up at them. He had no time to kneel on the floor.

"Little brother!"

"Yes!"

Link got to his feet. "Take Midna. Take her out of this place, as far as you can go!"

"What about you?" Midna took a step toward him.

"No! I'm sorry, but I can't get held back because more people are in trouble! I need you guys out of here, now! Two less people in danger."

"But-"

"NOW!"

Midna and Clone looked at each other. They took each other's hands and ran down the hallway. Link watched them re-enter the shadow dust. He made out the shape of a wolf and an imp on his back before he turned and ran as fast as he could down the other way.

Link's feet pounded the floor. He ran quickly and swiftly. His only purpose was to find Zelda and get the hell out of there.

The clone, using Midna's precise direction, sped out of the lab as fast as he could. Midna explained everything to him in brief sentences. How Link saved her, about Zelda, the girl he was looking for, everything.

The clone bolted outside.

Upon seeing Jonathan inside the car, he stopped.

He shook off the shadow dust and appeared in front of him.

"What happened here?" He asked. Jonathan stared at him. He shook off the questions he yearned to ask.

"Zelda ran inside, looking for Link. I'm hot wiring the car to make a quick getaway. You are?"

"Midna, the reason Link went to the lab." Midna said.

"I'm his little brother." Link's clone smiled proudly.

Jonathan shook his head. "I've almost got the car under my control. It looks like a normal truck, but it's got all these weird gizmos."

He bent down again.

"I'm helping him." Luda appeared from the back, her fists holding two sets of wires.

"YOU!" Link's clone yelled.

"YOU!" Luda pointed at him.

"Luda!" Midna gasped.

"You know her?" The clone snarled. He began to climb into the car, but Midna held him back. Jonathan yelled in surprise. This boy resembled a dark version of Link.

"Yes, I do!" Midna yanked on the back of his shirt.

"HELP ME STRANGLE HER! She helped create me! She made my substance! She's a devil!"

"She was forced to, like me!"

"That's right, I was forced to!" Luda squeaked.

"DON'T CARE! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU TO HELL!"

"Whoa, calm down!" Jonathan yelled.

The clone gave a menacing snarl before Midna succeeded in pulled him out of the car.

"Listen to me!" She screamed. "Link! LISTEN TO ME!"

The clone swiveled around and fixed her with his dark eyes.

"What did you say?" He asked. His voice was now quiet but cold.

Midna refused to shrink back. "I called you Link."

"I'm a shadow! A DAMNED SHADOW SHE HELPED TO CREATE!"

He gestured to Luda, who seemed to wither.

"I didn't have a choice."

"LIKE HELL YOU DIDN'T!"

"SHUT UP!" Midna screamed.

The clone spun around and grabbed her shoulders. "WHY THE HELL SHOULD I?"

Midna reached up and grabbed his face. "Because I said so."

The clone's eyes searched her face.

"Fine." He let go of her shoulders and turned away.

"If it matters, I'm sorry." Luda whispered.

Shadow Link slumped down against the car. "It's alright. It isn't your fault I'm made of darkness and prone to get really pissed at times."

The clone sighed.

"Can I please get back to _my_ work now?" Jonathan asked.

Midna glared.

"Hey, we want to be useful, too! You're not the only one with brains! What can we do?" Midna snapped at him. Jonathan didn't react to her.

Instead, out of the car came two large guns. "See those guys in the corner, in a big heap?" Jonathan pointed to a few men that were at the foot of the Lab. "I figure Link took them out. They haven't come to yet."

"So?"

"They had these guns on them. Figure out how to use them, because I haven't had the time."

Midna picked up the guns and handed one to the clone. He took it with a large smile on his face. He got up. "I've always wanted one. Brilliant."

"I knew you'd cheer up." Midna smiled. "Just stun anybody who's not Jonathan, Luda, Zelda or your brother. Chemists will undoubtedly follow them out."

"Or you."

"Right, or me."

"I like that plan."

Midna examined the gun. "Weird." She said. "It's like a fish helmet on the end."

"It's not a fish. It's something else." Luda mumbled. She pointed to parts of the gun. "Reset here, aim here, shoot here."

"Thanks."

The clone aimed the gun at the wall of the lab. He moved a few pieces around and placed his hand on the trigger.

He pulled down hard, and a bullet filled with black and red dust shot out. It hit the wall, and broke, releasing a million little red sparks.

Midna did the same.

"What a weird gun."

"It's not an ordinary gun. It's filled with powerful magic."

"Of course I know that!"

"Guys, quiet. This is very hard to do." Jonathan growled at them from in the car.

Midna hissed at him.

She then aimed the gun again.

"Clone."

"Yes?"

"How do you think Link is doing in there?"

"He has to be okay."

Midna shot a series of bullets at once. It nearly crumbled the wall from the shock of the red sparks.

"Don't waste bullets." Luda warned.

"We won't."

"Until chemists follow them out."

"Good plan."

"It'll be okay. He probably forgot he had schoolwork." Saria patter Siera's head consolingly.

"I don't care! I r-really wanted t-to hang out with h-him!" Siera sobbed. "Jonathan's a jerk!"

"Something probably came up." Saria shrugged. Siera wailed.

"What could have been more important than this?"

A few things, Siera. A few things.

**SATURDAY NIGHT (Again)**

**Talo**

Link, despite previous experiences, was extremely scared. His run had become shaky. This corridor led to the person that controlled this entire lab. The person who was responsible for him. The person who commanded Zant. The person he now hated more than anybody else in the world.

Link fell onto his knees. The weight of this responsibility was bearing down on him.

He knew for a fact he had to fight this man. He didn't know why, but he had to. And if he won… all of this hell would be over. Link felt lightened by the thought.

The feeling ended with a sharp pain in his chest. What if he lost?

A voice answered back in his head. _You'd lose everything, of course. _

Link felt numb. Everything. Everything would be lost. Midna, Zelda, Jonathan, his clone of a little brother… Maybe it wasn't worth the risk.

Link glanced behind him.

No. He couldn't do that. He would never just turn back. Why not?

Why not risk it? Why risk everything?

The answer rushed into his head.

Because of every subject who had been tortured in here.

Because of Jonathan. Jonathan, the boy who had been controlled by evil forces. The boy who had been forced to do evil against his will. The boy who had been tortured like him, who wanted this man defeated.

Because of Midna. Midna, the girl who set him free. The girl who had risked everything just to get him out. Just to get anybody out. Midna, his best friend who wanted him to win this battle.

Because of his clone of a little brother. The only family he knew about, the only person who could be 'related' to. The boy who had been created only for spare parts. The boy who needed this man to die out of revenge.

Because of Zelda. Zelda, the girl who took him in.

But it was more than just that. Zelda was the girl who not only took him in, but the girl he trusted. The girl who came for him despite her own safety. The girl who let him in, though he was a monster. No, the girl who saw past that monster and treated him like a man.

They all needed him to fight and win.

Suddenly, the flooring he was kneeling on felt very hard. Why the hell was he kneeling on this? What the hell was he waiting for?

Time seemed to pass very quickly as Link bolted down the hallway. He nearly slammed into the large doors that lead to the boss's room.

He hardly felt his hands turn the doorknobs. He hardly felt the door push open.

But he did feel the darkness inside the room consume him, blotting out the light in the hallway.

He felt his hand prickle.

He felt his feet walk inside.

"You know, I feel kind of bad just sitting here." Said the clone. Midna sighed.

"Me too."

The clone turned to Jonathan. "I wonder if he'll need a quick getaway."

"What do you mean?" Jonathan asked, appearing in the car window.

"I mean, if my big brother defeats the boss of this place, then will he really need a quick getaway?"

Jonathan gave him a puzzled look. "I thought Zelda was just going in there to get Link out."

"There was an unexpected change of plans." Midna stood up. "Zelda got nabbed by the head who runs this place. Link went to get her."

"Wait, so Link could be fighting him? By HIMSELF?"

"You mean that girl who told me to leave got captured?" Luda gasped.

"Yeah." The clone stood up as well. He shot her a doubtful glance. "And Link's gonna have a heck of a time getting her out."

"We aught to help." Midna told Jonathan. "I'm considering going back in."

The clone stared at Midna sideways. "Yeah. It's completely insane, but yeah."

"Well, the whole quick getaway thing was stupid." Jonathan sighed.

Luda hopped out of the car.

"I'm not going back in there." She whispered.

"I don't blame you, sweet." The clone smiled at her. Midna glared.

"Hey, we don't have time for you to act suave." Midna said, poking his chest.

"Eh." The clone shrugged.

"So, clone guy…" Jonathan began.

"We need to find me another name." The clone said to Midna, ignoring Jonathan.

"Why? I like, 'clone guy'."

"Midna."

"Why not Shadow?" She suggested.

"That's much better." The Clone said sarcastically. "Let's call you Imp, too."

"No, listen; the only reason Link got his name was because he was the link between man and wolf. The shadowy link between man and wolf would have to be dubbed Shadow Link." Midna smiled.

"Shadow Link. Huh. Go on ahead, name me after the two things that I'm made out of." The clone, now dubbed Shadow Link, turned away.

"I don't know, Shadow Link has sort of a ring to it." Jonathan said, leaning out of the car.

"I'm not going back in!" Luda repeated.

Silence dominated for a few seconds.

"Then come on."

Midna and Shadow Link tilted their heads. A boy with short brown hair was standing a few yards into the forest.

"What are you doing back here?" Luda asked.

"You didn't come. It's dark out and you could have gotten hurt. "The boy said this as if it was obvious.

"But I had a job to do!" Luda yelled. "You had a job to escape!"

"Wait, who the hell is he?" Shadow Link asked.

"Experiment 18835. Or, to Luda, my friend who was supposed to be out of the lab an HOUR ago," The boy walked forward. "My name it Talo."

Luda stared at Talo blankly. "Why did you come back?"

"I was worried about you."

"Yeah, but-!"

"Listen, Luda, are you escaping here or not?"

"Well, I…"

"We were just going back in." Said Shadow Link. "Little miss here was quite against following. I'm sure she would like to join you. You'd know if we'd survive."

"Are you the wolf boy's clone?" Asked Talo.

"Does it really matter?"

"No, I guess not."

Shadow Link looked away, obviously agitated. "Luda, go on. We're going to go back in."

Luda stared at them as if they were insane. "You're telling me to leave."

"For your own safety, dear." Midna smiled. "We might as well be committing suicide. Go on."

"Luda." Talo said. "Come on."

Luda stared at him. She glanced back at the lab, and then ran to him.

"Sorry, guys, but I'm with them. I'm not going back in." Jonathan climbed out of the car. "Of course, I hot wired the car. You guys can drive it in there to give quick help."

"Quick getaway plan is, shot, huh."

"I have something else on my mind, yeah." Jonathan Recalled Siera. He would have to apologize at least ten, no… ten thousand times. But he guessed it was worth it.

Luda and Talo nodded at him. "Come on, then. You can lead us back to the natural world."

"I could use a walk out in the fresh air." Luda smiled at Talo.

"We'll let you know if everything turns out okay." Midna told Jonathan as he disappeared into the woods. It was silent.

Shadow Link and Midna stared at each other for some time.

"So we're going back in there?" Midna nodded at the entrance to the lab.

"Well, why not?" Shadow Link sighed. "We can get in. I don't want to be a useless piece of… bleep."

"Did you just say bleep?"

"Maybe."

"Why?"

"Eh…"

Midna smiled. "Come on." She opened the car door.

Shadow Link followed in after her.

"How come you get to drive?"

"You were created in a lab and you don't know a thing about the world."

"I know plenty."

"Alright, what are those yellow twinkly things in the sky?"

Shadow Link stuck his head out the window. "Bugs."

Midna laughed.

"That aside, I know how to drive these cars!" Shadow Link protested as Midna put the car in gear.

"Yeah, right. What are the white puffy things that appear in the daytime?"

"White puffy things appear in the daytime?"

Midna snickered.

"Shut up!"

"I didn't say anything."

"Alright, ask me about the green things!"

"You mean the plants."

"Hmm… plants…"

Midna started to drive the car. She was careful to go slowly and to not miss any turns at first, but then she got more into it and started driving really fast.

"So the boss is on the bottom floor?" Asked Midna.

"Yeah."

"We're going to help your brother?"

"Yeah."

**Saturday Midnight**

**The boss**

Link was engulfed by darkness. He glanced back- nobody could tell that there had been blinding white lights a few seconds ago. His eyes couldn't adjust as quickly as he would have liked.

Suddenly, a little light sparked. It seemed to illuminate the entire room.

Instinctively, Link walked toward it. It flickered out.

He paused. Then another spark was made, bigger this time. In a few seconds it was out. He ran at where it had disappeared. Maybe it was losing power because of the darkness? Maybe it was…

The light turned on. It crackled at him. He stopped short.

It looked entirely made out of small sparks. The little lights buzzed around it, over and over. It did not create a welcoming atmosphere.

Then it flew at him. It was so fast he hardly noticed the folds of a skirt disappear into the darkness.

He didn't think to duck away. He didn't expect that the light would hurt him.

But it did.

It collided with his chest and sent him reeling backwards, feeling intense heat where it had struck.

He fell onto cold stone floor.

He tried to sit up, and saw another one forming, bigger this time. Two gloved hands were illuminated.

He had seen those hands before, reaching out to him.

"Zelda?"

This time he leapt out of the way when the light attacked him.

Staring back, horrified, he saw another ball of light being created. This time he saw the face of the attacker. He uttered a helpless cry.

Zelda's face was pale and covered in black lines, as if sewn together. She was smiling at him with wide eyes. Golden eyes.

Link dove out of the way of a third ball of light. He crouched in the darkness that surrounded him.

He felt his eyes get hot. Over and over in his head he could see the demented Zelda.

And he was terrified.

Link crouched in the darkness. Then he felt his feet get hot.

Staring down, he saw shining white light.

After briefly learning that the light in this room could only mean bad things, he ran away.

The light rose in the shape of a triangle.

For a moment, he saw the room; rows of glass cabinets, filled with flasks, bottles, and… needles.

Link felt his stomach turn as the light exploded into a frenzy of crackles.

His ears perked up. Behind the crackling… he could hear an engine?

"We'll get there in no time." Midna said. "We've broke the speedometer."

"I see a dark ahead." Shadow Link said, pointing.

"Ah."

Midna turned on the headlights. "We're here."

Headlights?

Link saw them. They cut through the darkness for a moment, but the darkness seemed to swallow them.

Yet they stayed on.

Midna leapt out of the truck. "Ah." She sighed.

Shadow Link followed her. "My element." He whispered. Then he spotted Link.

"Sorry big, brother! We couldn't leave you. Did you know white puffy things appear in the sky during the daytime?"

"Idiot." Midna whispered. She hurried over to him. "Are you okay?"

"No." Link could barely get the word out.

Another light struck up. You could see Zelda's face illuminated.

"What in the-"

Link knocked Midna and Shadow Link out of the way. The light crashed into the floor.

"That B*tch!" Shadow Link hissed, beginning to run at her. Midna's arm stuck out and blocked him.

"Look." She mouthed. Link and his brother followed her gaze. As Zelda struck up another ball of light, her shadow was cast along one wall.

Midna pointed.

The shadow was in the shape of a man.

"Ganondorf." Link hissed. His clone had DEATH written in his eyes.

Zelda held up the ball of light. You could see her entire figure. She was blanketed in black cloth, but her gloves where white.

Her mouth opened. "Took you long enough."

It wasn't her voice. "How do you like my puppet? This dark light is very effective. I can't wield it, but she can."

He hurled the light at them. It was aimed at Shadow Link. His dark eyes were illuminated by the light.

Link turned, transfixed. He started to move, but Midna beat him to it. She leapt at Shadow Link and knocked him out of the way… but the light collided with her stomach.

"NO!"

It was not Link who had screamed. It was his clone. Midna was knocked back. She hit the floor and slid a bit, unconscious.

Ganondorf was laughing. Shadow Link ran to Midna. He grasped her shoulders.

"Midna, stay with me! Wake up!"

Another ball of light formed.

"Midna, breathe for me, okay? It's easy. In and out."

"Look at how much prettier she is now!" Ganondorf hissed. Zelda moved in jerks, as if controlled by strings. She spun around. Her skirt swished around her; you could see the sickening veins on her legs as well. "This is what the shadow crystal does to her… lovely."

Link was rooted to the spot.

"Midna, I order you to wake up!"

Ganondorf held the light out in front of him.

"Are you going to fight back? Or are you afraid of hurting your girlfriend?"

Link didn't bother to say that he wasn't.

When the light engulfed him, the force knocked him against a glass cabinet. Link lost consciousness for a few seconds. When he pulled himself together, he found himself surrounded by shattered glass and a few bottles made for holding chemicals.

He could see, through blurred vision, another ball of light being formed. He saw it grow larger.

Link grasped the bottle next to him. He held it out in front of him, hoping that, by some miracle, it would help.

The light hit the bottle. Its heat drove into it, but then, all at once, dispersed. The bottle was hot and bent. Link dropped it for fear of burning himself.

The light was shot back at the puppet Zelda.

Link sat up.

He watched the Zelda's eyes widen. Her smile fell.

The light submerged itself in her skin. The light crackled around her. Ganondorf gave a long, drawn out moan. Zelda's limbs flung around, uncontrolled. The black veins broke off and faded into the crackling light.

Then she fell onto the floor. Link struggled to his feet. He ran at her.

"Zelda!" Link fell onto his knees in front of her. She was unconscious. He reached around her and hugged her tightly.

"You FOOL."

Link's head snapped to the side where the voice was coming from. Ganondorf was on his feet.

Link scrambled back, pulling Zelda away. He crouched with her in the darkness.

"Zelda. Open your eyes, okay? You're okay now."

Link shifted his position so that he was between Zelda and Ganondorf. He glanced back.

He saw Ganondorf begin to dissolve into smaller particles of darkness.

He turned away.

Using his ears, he could hear some sounds. The sound of footsteps. Running footsteps.

Link turned for a split second to see Ganondorf on his feet. There was a dark flash, and then he wasn't.

Through the dim light of the headlights, Link saw Shadow Link standing over Ganondorf's fallen form.


	14. Chapter 14

Shadow Link's earliest memories happened inside a glass cylinder. He had grown to Link's age, but had been aged rapidly. So knew about as much as a baby.

He was completely submerged, but of course did not suspect it was anything but ordinary.

When he looked around, he felt the glass with his fingers. How odd this was- what else could he do? He also tried poking it with his nose.

It was then that Shadow Link opened his eyes.

His eyes fell on many different faces. He saw Luda, for one thing, pumping shadow crystals into a tube that led to his chamber. He didn't know what they were, so he didn't care.

He saw Midna's face, and she was staring at him with an expression he could not describe.

Then he saw Ganondorf's back turned to him. The liquid was becoming thicker.

Then he fell unconscious again.

When the darkness was gone, he was again in his glass cylinder. Only the surrounding image had changed. Only Midna remained, staring at him.

He put hit fingers against the glass and wondered why Midna was not in a glass tube.

Midna opened her mouth and began to talk. He wondered if he could make these sounds.

"Midna." Midna said, pointing to herself. Shadow Link opened his mouth and tried to mimic her.

Eventually the Clone picked up words. Days passed. Weeks passed. He could now piece together sentences, thanks to Midna's secret tutoring.

One day, a drain appeared in the bottom of his tank and the liquid poured out. The gravity had increased considerably, so when Midna removed the glass, he could not walk out of his cage.

Midna crouched down. "Listen." She said. "You are not here to live here; you are a clone made for spare parts."

Shadow Link wanted to know what a clone was. He wanted to know what a spare was. He wanted to know what a here was.

Later that day, Ganondorf had made orders to instruct him on how to dress, talk and walk. Shadow Link was taught like a child, and he was content with what surrounded him. It was natural to him.

One day he was sitting in his room in the lab, and he heard people talking outside his room.

"We are going to experiment on him tomorrow. Once he has gotten his scars, we'll kill him."

The next day was filled with blurred color and sharp pains.

When it was over, Midna visited his room. She observed the fresh cuts in his arms and legs. The clone then asked her a question.

"What does, 'kill' mean? The people say we'll kill him."

Midna started to cry. She was crying because he was too uneducated to understand what was going on, and she was afraid for him.

Midna told him it meant the world would go black, and he wouldn't feel anything or do anything ever again. Shadow Link hated to see her cry.

He asked her, "Why we'll kill him?"

Midna showed him a picture of a boy labeled, _experiment__13443._ She told him about him. She had the clone look in a mirror. He understood what a clone was.

Then she said that Ganondorf had ordered him to be killed.  
Until then, Shadow Link did not care about the man who never looked at him. But now he hated him.

He made his escape the next day, and now thoughts of revenge always flitted through his mind. When he saw Midna and the boy he was cloned after, he wanted to know what they were doing. And now this. As Shadow Link stood over Ganondorf, he felt adrenaline filling his blood.

Shadow Link stared down at Ganondorf, who now was rising. Ganondorf's hand shot out, but Shadow Link blocked it.

There was another dark flash. Shadow Link felt something pulling inside him.

He fell onto his knees, screaming in rage, realizing what had happened. Ganondorf smiled, holding a mass of Shadow Link's energy.

Ganondorf bent over him and smiled. Shadow Link stared at him with dark eyes, wide and filled with hate.

Ganondorf reached out.

Then something grabbed Ganondorf's arm and pushed it back.

It was something long and glowing, covered in symbols.

Shadow Link felt the energy he had lost shoot back into him. He used this energy to stand and turn.

Midna had hardly risen to her feet. One arm was outstretched into the glowing thing, which now held Ganondorf's arm back. It pulsated in some phosphorescent way, giving off minimal light.

If her other hand was an empty needle.

"I'm the only one allowed to hurt him." Midna said hoarsely. "So back off."

Her hand tightened.

"Midna!" Shadow Link stumbled more than ran toward her. He hugged her around the middle.

"Get off."

"Right. Sorry."

Ganondorf glared at her. He tried to shake her off, but her grip was firm.

"This is what shadowfillus crystillian does to me." She whispered. Then she smiled. "Isn't it beautiful? Don't I look lovely?"

The glowing substance spread over her body.

"Say I look beautiful, you b*tch!"

Now she had two long arms, two long legs, two more arms…

"I never thanked you for turning me into an Imp." She said, eyes narrow. "Through that power, I unlocked many others."

Multiple hands shot out. Midna used them to grasp Ganondorf. She slammed him against a wall.

Little flecks of light parted with his skin.

Link watched as the flecks of light drifted toward him. For a split second, they passed through his body, but then they left him and sank into Zelda.

He felt her become warmer.

Realization decided to dawn on him at that moment.

"Midna, squeeze him!" He yelled.

"That sounded only slightly wrong!"

"I need that power!" Ganondorf hissed.

Light was rushing out of his body and into Zelda's, like a river.

"Wow, that's bright." Shadow Link winced.

Midna's eyes glared harder. Link could see that the light burned her fingers like little sparks.

But Midna was strong. She could take that and much more.

Then the stream of light became thinner.

Midna gave a grunt, and let go. The light left in Ganondorf removed itself to join the rest of its kind.

You could hear Ganondorf collapse. Midna's body returned to its original shape in the darkness.

She fell backwards into Shadow Link's arms. Not expecting this, he fell onto the ground under her.

"You okay?" He whispered.

"Clouds." Midna said, craning her neck to try to see him through the black. "The white things in the sky are called clouds."

"Clouds…" Shadow Link smiled. He felt around her face. "Remember when you taught me to talk? You pointed to things and said their names." He moved his hands around her face. "Hair. Nose. Cheeks…"

He paused. "…Lips…"

When Zelda was a puppet, it was like a dream. She dreamt she was sewn up and put on strings. Then she was in a little show in a dark room. In the show, her strings led her over to a mirror.

_How__nice._ Zelda thought. _I__wonder__what__role__I__'__m__playing._

Then her dream changed. She was face to face with Ganondorf. Through a sheet of glass.

She tried to move toward him, but she couldn't. She couldn't speak, either.

Ganondorf reached out one arm. So did she.

Ganondorf moved one foot. So did she.

She was a reflection.

Ganondorf danced her around the mirror, moving her this way and that.

"You're a puppet." Zelda's lips moved, but it was Ganondorf's voice

Then Ganondorf made her create a ball of light by making a ball of darkness. He held out his hand to the mirror. He stole her light.

Then the dream switched for a final time. Zelda was in a tiny room filled with black. She felt hollow.

Then a silhouette of a boy appeared.

His hand touched her shoulder. His hand wrapped around her.

He felt warm.

She sighed.

"Zelda, wake up." Link whispered.

Zelda lay motionless.

"Zelda, come on…" Link muttered. Then he became nervous.

He pressed his ear to her chest to hear her heartbeat. It was steady. He breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry." Link whispered.

He stood up, trying to carry Zelda. He could see the headlights faintly a while away.

Link started to walk.

There was a faint rumble.

A powerful force knocked Link forward; he was propelled through the air, doing all he could to hold onto Zelda. They landed a few feet away from Midna and Shadow Link, who broke apart immediately.

"What are you doing?" Link asked.

"Celebration?" Shadow Link said hopefully. Midna glared at him.

"What happened?" She asked.

Link rubbed the back of his head. "I don't know. Something's in the dark."

Another blow struck out at them. They barely managed to get out of the way.

"Hah! Missed me!" Shadow Link jeered.

"Try not to aggravate it, please." Midna whispered.

"If only Zelda was conscious…" Link was muttering to himself.

"She could make that light!" Shadow Link cried. "Wake up, Zelda! Make the light."

"That would help." Link shook his head to clear his thoughts. "No, I meant I don't want her dead!"

The thing struck again.

Link dodged, pulling Zelda with him. Midna and Shadow Link ducked in the other direction.

Link's head hit something hard. Turning, he could make out a metal table scattered with books.

Link grabbed the table and turned it onto its side. It slammed onto the stone floor. Books scattered, pages flapping open in the dark. Link leapt over them and crouched behind the table, hoping to make a barrier behind which he could hide from.

The thing slammed against the table, slamming the table against a wall. But it seemed to loose interest before striking again.

Link heard a crash a few yards away. He heard Midna yell something like, "MOVE, you dumbass!"

Link bowed his head and held Zelda closer to him, hoping that they would all be alright.

He peered over the side of the table. The car's headlights shone faintly.

Link looked back at Zelda. He bit his lip.

Another crash.

"Midna!"

"I'm fine! Just- Just GO!"

Link lifted Zelda and bolted at the car. If he could just get Zelda out of the room, he could help her later…

He leapt inside the car. The thing attacking them noticed where he was and turned on the car. It slammed upon the front engine.

As if made to be stable against these attacks, the car held. Link placed Zelda in the back seat and strapped her in using seat belts.

The thing rammed against the car again.

"MY CAR!"

"It's not your car, idiot! You can't even drive!"

Link climbed into the front seat and peered out the front window, grasping the wheel. All was silent.

Then, all at once, the creature emerged from the darkness. For a split second it was illuminated by the headlights.

"Ganondorf." Link put the car in reverse and sped backwards, evading Ganondorf's blow. "He's turned into a beast…"

Link knew the car would not hold. He had to distract Ganondorf before he charged.

Link climbed out of the car. "Hey, pigass! Leave her alone!"

The beast had turned on him.

"Yeah, leave her alone! My car will not be treated like that!" Shadow Link ran up beside Link.

"I was talking about ZELDA!"

"So… so was I!"

"You think Zelda is your CAR?"

"Look out!" Midna screamed. Link and his little brother dodged out of the way.

As soon as Link saw the cabinets, he opened one filled with shadowfillius crystillian.

"Link! What are you doing?" Midna hissed. She had grabbed his arm.

"Ganondorf's a beast. I need to buy some time, and I'm faster with four legs."

Midna released his arm. "Only if I can help, too."

"Me too."

Link almost smiled. "Alright, but hurry!"

They all reached in and grabbed a crystal…

It was surprisingly easier to see. Link could make out Midna's imp form on top of Shadow Link's wolf form. But more importantly, he decided, he could make out Ganondorf's form.

"Come on!" Link charged at Ganondorf. Ganondorf's horns missed Link's chest by inches. Then, before his very eyes, he disappeared.

"F*CK!"

"Where did you learn _that_word?" Midna asked. "Never mind, where did he go?" Around them, the room began to swim. It mixed together with the same colors and symbols, over and over.

"What's going on?" Shadow Link asked. Link heard the worry in his voice.

He felt sick and nauseous as the colors swam before his eyes. He was reminded of the lab's testing room when he was high on a mind-altering chemical.

Then, a new color appeared in the other. It was very small, so small, but it was noticed. It was noticed by an Imp.

"There!" Midna cried. The colors stopped; the room focused and Ganondorf could be seen rushing at them.

"Ow! Hell! Something's glowing on him!" Shadow Link bowed his head to shield his eyes. It was true; his stomach appeared to be glinting.

Midna's eyes would be seen glinting. "A scar! Where he injected the _Shadowfillius__crystillian_! It must have caused some freak reaction!"

"I'm on it." Shadow Link charged at the beast, avoiding Ganondorf's horns.

Midna smirked and reached her hands out. They bubbled up and grabbed Ganondorf's nose. As Midna's arms outstretched, Gannon was pushed onto his hind legs.

By the point he hit the ground; Shadow Link had left Midna floating and slashed at Gannon's stomach.

"Keep holding him, Midna!"

"Do you think I'm some idiot?"

Link bared his fangs. He lunged at the beast and joined his brother in the battle. Ganondorf thrashed and dealt them multiple blows, but could not get off the floor.

It gave a mighty roar, and then lay still. After a few moments, Midna let go of him. Immediately she reached back, but still the beast lay silent.

Link's chest heaved as he stared over Ganondorf's still body. Shadow Link still tore over the body, deepening the wounds without relent.

"Hey…" Link walked over to his brother. "It's okay."

His clone looked at him, his dark eyes boring deep into Link's, still in the heat of battle. Then they softened.

"Let's get out of here, then."

Midna floated over to them, gasping. "I drive."

By the time they made it to the car, the shadowfillius crystillian had worn off. In the headlights, Link could see that both he and his brother were covered in foul blood.

"Midna, what are you doing?"

"Collecting a sample." She explained. "My chemist instincts are overpowering."

"Jeez, you nutso."

"Says the evil clone. Don't you think it would be a good idea if I had some? In case you get wolfish urges. It wouldn't look good if a human started howling at the moon, would it?"

"You forget I'm not human."

"You look human, and that's what matters."

Because of the fact that Midna was gathering samples and Shadow Link was watching her, Link was first in the car. He climbed into the back seat and cupped Zelda's face in his hands.

"Zelda, it's alright now. You can open your eyes."

Shadow Link followed him into the car, and after him Midna, her pockets holding a few bottles filled with the dark substance.

"Is she alright?"

Link glanced at them but said nothing.

"Zelda?"

Link kneeled down and pressed his ear to her chest again. Her heartbeat was still steady.

"She's alive…"

Link raised his head.

He stared at her, holding back tears. He had seen what happened to people that couldn't handle the chemicals. _Not__a__coma,__please__not__a__coma__…_

"…hn…"

Zelda's eyes began to open very slowly.

"Hn…hink?"

"Zelda!"

Link pulled her into his arms. And now he felt he could cry, but still did not.

Zelda blushed and tried to adjust her eyes to the darkness.

"Is this another dream?"

"I _am_ a dream."

_Who__was__that?__He__sounds__like__Link_. Zelda thought.

"OW! She set that one up!"

"How do you even learn these lines? Also, you save them for _me_!"

"It's Midna and my clone." Link said.

"You have a clone?"

"Yes, and don't I look so much better than him? - OW!"

Zelda looked around. Everything was still so dark.

"What happened to Ganondorf?"

"I think he's dead."

"Really?"

Now Zelda's eyes were slowly adjusting. She could make out different figures in the car.

"Where are we?"

"Leaving, I think." Said Midna. "Unless you have a better plan."

"No, leaving is fine. Leaving is great."

Midna grasped the wheel and turned it. The car spun around, Midna floored the gas pedal and they were speeding out.

The bright light of the lab temporarily blinded everybody, but the light washed over them in a second and it was normal again.

Zelda could now see everybody in the car. Link was sitting next to her.

In the front and passenger seats were two people, a girl with orange hair and pale skin, and a boy with black hair and paler skin. Zelda couldn't help but notice that he looked EXACTLY like Link, straight down to the needle scars.

"Turn here." He said.

Midna swerved.

You could feel the outside air after a while, coming closer, even though it was so far away.

Zelda could tell that Link was drawing in deeper breaths.

Over the course of twenty minutes, while Shadow Link gave instructions and Midna drove, the air got stronger and stronger, making it easier and easier to breathe.

The car shook violently a hallway before the exit. Midna shoved her foot against the brakes. Zelda would have been thrown forward if Link hadn't been holding her still.

"Midna! What- HELL!" Shadow Link cried. "Don't tell me we the car's dead!"

But Midna was out of the car.

"What's going on?" Shadow Link tried to follow her, but she pushed the door shut.

"Drive." She said. "Get them out of here!"

"What's going on?" Zelda asked.

"Midna?" Link said.

"Midna, what are you doing?" Shadow Link asked. "They don't have any gas stations in here."

"I'm not worried about that kind of gas."

It dawned on him.

"No!" Shadow Link yelled, pounding on the door. Midna held it firmly closed. "No, you can't! Not on your own!"

"Shadow, I will return!"

_Return?_ Link thought.

"Wait, why are you leaving?"

A moment of silence followed his question.

"PROMISE!" Shadow Link broke it. "PROMISE YOU WILL!"

"I promise."

"No, Midna, what are you doing?" Link cried.

Shadow Link bit back tears. "Don't go back on it!"

"I won't. Just… just get out."

Midna smiled at him.

Shadow Link couldn't return it. He just took the wheel and started the car.

"NO! MIDNA!" Link cried.

She waved. Then she took out the sample of _Shadowfillus__Crystillian_ and shattered it against a wall. Link watched as she was consumed by an eruption of black diamonds.

"She teleported." Shadow Link was staring blankly ahead at the outside. "Another power she had unlocked… I watched her form the shadows…"

They exited the lab.

Link grabbed his arm.

"Turn around!" He yelled.

"You think I don't want to?"

"TURN AROUND!" Link leaned forward and tried to wrench his hands off the wheel.

"We won't get there in time!" Shadow Link yelled. "She took all the samples!"

"But-"

"It took twenty minutes to get out! It can take longer to go back in!"

Link's shoulders slumped. In that time Midna could die or defeat Ganondorf.

"It was her decision. If it's her last, we should respect it." Zelda said, reaching over and touching Link's shoulder.

"It won't be her last." Shadow Link said. "She promised she'd return."

Zelda sighed. "Promises break. You should keep that in mind so you don't as well."

"This one won't."

"You're such a child!" Link said angrily. "You might look like me, but you still have the brain of an infant!"

"You're no better! How much of life have you lived outside that lab?" Shadow Link retorted.

"Calm down!" Zelda snapped. "There are more important matters than how mature you people are. We should be concerned at how Ganondorf survived this long! We should be concerned about surviving! We should focus on how to kill this monster!"

They all fell silent.

Midna appeared back in the dark chamber. Her eyes adjusted too fast for her liking.

"All right, where are you?" She screamed into the darkness.

She could feel somebody next to her.

"Come to finish me off?" A voice said. "You're a funny girl."

A smell reached Midna's nose.

"You didn't…" She whispered. "Those vents aren't supposed to… you monster!"

Midna turned. She could barely see Ganondorf's form, but he was holding a match and a bottle of _Shadowfillus__Crystillian._

Behind him were the remaining, most loyal chemists. They wore ghostly white lab coats and held to bottles themselves.

"Just stand still until the flame will travel fast enough." Ganondorf said.

Midna hurled the broken bottle at him. He stepped out of the way, but it skimmed against the shoulder of his coat.

"I'll kill you."

"Really? Now's your chance to escape."

Ganondorf uncorked his sample of Shadowfillus crystillian. Midna lunged at him.

Ganondorf struck the match.

The smell in the air was gas.

Link, Zelda and Shadow Link were in the car waiting outside the lab, uncertain of whether or not to leave.

"I'm not moving until Midna comes back!"

"We can't wait forever."

"Well, I'm not leaving!"

"You don't have to yet; I'm just saying that if she takes too long, we might have to assume the worst!"

"Don't be mean! What Link means is-"

"YOU assume the worst! If she takes too long, I'm going back in for her!"

"Then we'll go with you."

"Brilliant! How long is too late? Is it now? Can it be n-"

A rumbling that shook the car made them stop.

The eruption sent the car flying backwards. The car's roof hit a tree, and all the windows shattered. The tree actually probably saved them a lot of damage, for if they had continued to fly backwards, they would have landed upside down and on their heads.

The car slid down from where it had hit the tree and tipped forward, back to its original position.

Shadow Link was nearly unconscious; Link and Zelda had been cast forward, first hitting the roof, then hitting the seats in front of them; Link's arm had bent funny and Zelda's ankle was twisted, but they were alright otherwise.

Shadow Link turned to them, eyes wide.

"What was that?" He asked, words slurred. His forehead was bleeding. A sliver of glass was wedged just above his eyebrow.

"I don't know." Link winced in pain. He rearranged his limbs to a normal position and pulled the shard out of his brother's head. They both cried out in pain.

"Oh my god…" Zelda whispered. She tried to stand, but collapsed. "The lab completely… combusted."

Shadow Link's consciousness regained the moment he saw the ruins.

He screamed Midna's name and made the battered car speed back to what was left of the lab. It groaned and sputtered, but it got back together and moved.

"MIDNA!"

"Calm down!"

"MIDNA!"

"How did this happen?"

"MIDNA!"

"I'd say it was a gas explosion."

"MIDNA!"

"Would you stop that?"

"She promised me! She PROMISED ME!" Shadow Link briefly turned back to them, eyes wide. Then he turned back to the wheel. "MIDNA!"

The car stopped at where the lab's entrance used to be. Now it was only ruins, a lot less ruins than there should have been, though.

Shadow Link was out of the car, staring at the collapsed walls that were aflame.

He ran to and fro, screaming for Midna.

Link climbed out of the car and helped Zelda out. Her ankle was swelling considerably.

Shadow Link ran back to them, choking on his own breath. "I can't… find her…"

He let out a dry sob. "I can't…"

Zelda stared at him. Tears crawled out of her eyes and down her cheeks.

Link stared past them. At first he couldn't believe his eyes.

"Guys, look…"

There was a figure across the ruins. "Guys…"

His clone turned. "Is that…"

They started toward the figure.

A small wind blew through, and the smoke from the ruins cleared for a moment.

"NO!"

Link and Zelda could hardly hear him scream; they were in such shock.

Ganondorf was standing there, blood dripping from what seemed like everywhere.

Link, his clone and Zelda could not tear their eyes away. More smoke cleared, and it was clear he had a motorcycle from the lab.

"He didn't…" Shadow Link hissed.

Behind him were some six chemists. They had motorcycles of the same model.

But that didn't matter.

It couldn't matter, not with Midna groping at Ganondorf's neck. Midna had almost as much blood on her as Ganondorf, and her fingers fumbled numbly through the air.

He dropped her to the ground, where she lay motionless.

Link felt himself swallow a pained gasp.

"YOU FILTHY BASTARD!" Shadow Link screamed.

"Stop!" Zelda reached out to him.

The motorcycles were being put into gear. Their engines were beginning to hum.

Ganondorf dropped Midna onto the ground and sped past her. They were racing around the ruins, going faster and faster.

Zelda gripped Shadow Link's arm to restrain him. She turned to Link and snatched on to his shoulder.

Zelda's hand let loose a tremendous electric shock, and light snapped between them like a circuit.

Then all was white.


	15. Chapter 15: Boss Battle

**Hello! :D This is El. I seem to have matured over the course of this story, for when I read the beginning now, I cry at the horrible writing. Since I'm too lazy to try and edit over the horrible mountain of horribleness, I tried to make up for it by making this the best I could. **

**DISCLAIMER I don't own legend of Zelda. I own my fanfic, just not Legend of Zelda. Copyrights on EVERYFING :3  
**

**Have fun. :)  
**

"Where are we?" Shadow Link cried.

"Vision mode." Zelda said simply. "We don't know how it happens."

"All we know is that while we're here, no time passes. We can be here for hours." Link said. "And we'll come back where we were but a millisecond later."

"Brilliant. Very nice. So what do we do now?" Shadow Link asked.

"Yeah, Zelda." Link said. "What's the plan?"

Zelda sat down on the ground, putting the pressure off of her ankle.

"We need some way to defeat them." Zelda said. "We can't just lunge at them while they have motorcycles."

"We have a car." Shadow Link said. "It's bigger than theirs."

"Good plan." Link said. "So we attack from the car. The car… How the hell do we hit them?"

He glanced at Zelda.

"What?" She asked.

"You… you can shoot balls of light." Shadow Link said, a light tone of excitement in his voice. "Go on, do it! Make the light!"

Zelda looked from Link to his clone.

"Wh… what?" She stammered. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Zelda, when you were Ganondorf's puppet, you shot light at us. It hurt like hell. If you could make it again…"

"So it wasn't a dream…" Zelda murmured.

"Dream?"

"While I was a puppet, as you call it, I dreamed that I could make light."

"Ah."

"Well, stop fantasizing about dreams and make more light!"

Zelda glared death at his impatience and pressed her palms together. She closed her eyes in concentration.

A small spark formed between her fingers. It grew slowly.

Zelda opened her eyes and cried out in delight.

"How easy." She said.

"Damn light hurts my eyes." Shadow Link was prowling a few paces away.

Zelda flung the light out at the emptiness of the vision space. It shot out, but not fast enough to catch up with motorcycles. Shadow Link ran away from it. He glared at Zelda, teeth clenched.

"You can't throw at all!" Shadow Link cried, throwing his hands in the air. "Of all the people not being able to throw!"

"Hush up. It's not like _you_ can throw something this bright. Besides, all we need a way to propel it." Zelda said. Shadow Link fell silent.

There was a silence while Zelda made another ball of light and weighed it in her hand. "It seems that it's hard enough to be able to fit into something… Do we have some sort of, I don't know, cannon or something?"

"We don't have a cannon." Link said. "We have to work with what we have, Zelda."

"What about a gun?" Shadow Link suggested, coming out of his anger streak.

"We have a gun?" Link asked, as Zelda concentrated on making another ball of light.

"Two guns, actually." Shadow Link said. "When me and Midna…" (Shadow Link swallowed) "Uh, came to help you… we brought some guns."

"Wonderful!" Zelda said, hurling the ball of light again. It went no faster than before. "What type of guns?"

"Well, they're from the lab. There's a switch here and the trigger's over here…" Shadow Link moved his hands around to show her. "And you just load in the front of it, like a musket, and cock it and shoot it like a shotgun. I figure, you can load your light in the front."

"How do you know so much about guns?"

"I know what you're talking about." Link said. "They stunned me with those guns once."

"Nobody answered my question." Zelda said, conjuring up another ball of light. "And I still have no idea what you're talking about…"

"Thank you for telling us of your many life's problems." Shadow Link bowed mockingly.

"You don't have to know what's going on." Link said, grabbing Zelda's arm before she could fatally wound his brother. "You have to make and load the light, and that's easy."

"And I have to drive, because Link here doesn't know how to." Shadow Link said.

"I know how to fire the gun." Link said. "I can fire guns."

"So you fire it." Zelda said. "Well, that works out. I load the gun, Link fires it, and Shadow Link drives the car where we can. Make sure to keep them in range."

"So we have a plan?" Link asked.

Zelda bowed her head slightly. "For this to work, we need our combined strengths. You're stronger than me, both of you, and know much more about this. I'm sorry if this doesn't work out. I'll try my hardest."

"Hey…" Link extended a hand. "Don't bow to me."

"We're not stupid!" Shadow Link screamed, causing Zelda to twitch. "We know that already!"

She took Link's hand and raised her head. His eyes looked so serious it made her smile.

"Let's go back." She extended a hand to him. He took it.

"For Midna."

"For the death of Ganondorf."

There was a flash, and they were standing by the ruins of the lab.

It took Shadow Link absolutely no time at all to climb in the car and put it in gear. Link pulled Zelda into the car. Then he climbed into the front seat and grinned to see the two guns already there.

Zelda quickly began trying to load them with light. It worked, and she was relieved.

"Keep Ganondorf in sight!" She instructed.

They were now racing around and through the lab's ruins.

Zelda handed Link the gun. He positioned himself by the window.

There, right in plain sight. He pulled hard on the trigger, and the light spiraled out as fast as a bullet and as gracefully as an arrow. It whizzed past Ganondorf's ear and hit one of the other chemists.

The chemist fell to the ground and stayed there.

_That's odd. _Link thought. _Were they always that weak? _

Zelda gave Link the other gun and he handed her the one that was empty. He aimed again.

There, Ganondorf couldn't avoid this at such a close range. Link fired.

Ganondorf groaned as the light sparked all over him. His concentration broke; the chemists scattered in all directions and collapsed. Shadow Link sped at Ganondorf, and as he neared him, Link had no time to reach for more light and just hit him as hard as he could with the gun. Ganondorf sped off.

He and Zelda exchanged the guns again and Link fired. The chemists would not have time to re-assemble. In fact, they didn't even move. Could they have been puppets as well?

Ganondorf was hit again. At close range, it was much easier.

This time, When Ganondorf slowed down, Shadow Link's steering proved true and he ran right into Ganondorf.

A confirmative thunk made Shadow Link laugh maniacally. Ganondorf was thrown out of the motorcycle and through the air.

The car stopped.

Link hopped out of the truck and went to confirm the death of the evil man.

"Link-"Zelda began.

"Stay there. You're hurt."

"No, I'm coming too!"

Link glared at her and she stopped.

He walked a few paces away from the car where Ganondorf lay.

Link bent over the crumpled form. He couldn't smile- not yet.

And then Zelda cried out. Link whipped around to see a golden barrier, crooked and broken, surrounding him and Ganondorf.

"Impressive…"

Link tensed. He heard Ganondorf getting up behind him.

"But be that no more."

"BASTARD! WHY WON'T YOU DIE?" Shadow Link could be heard.

Link took a deep breath and turned to see Ganondorf.

"I have a desire… to take the last light from this world, and blot it out forever."

"Am I the last light of this world?" Link asked. "Because there's this girl over there…"

Ganondorf walked forward, paying no attention.

"Do you think I'll let myself die here?" He asked.

"No." Link said quietly. "I'll have to force you."

"Such courage for such a young soul."

"Such idiocy for an old one." Link spat. He felt his hands curl into fists.

Ganondorf drew a knife out of his pocket. "I have laced this with fine chemicals, lab rat."

"I'm not a lab rat." Link said in a low voice, trying to hide the fear he felt inside. "I won't be used any more."

"Then let it begin."

**Originally I thought to cut the story off here, but then I thought: "Hey, these internet people have been really nice to my story. Since I smile so much whenever I read the comments, I will give them extra today." Thanks for commenting on my story. I really do appreciate it, especially when people don't hate. :D**

**Also, I don't want to forget to upload for, like, forever. Because I did that once and I feel really bad.  
**

**Have fun!  
**

Zelda rushed at the barrier, completely forgetting the pain in her ankle, but before she could take two steps, something had latched onto her arm.

She turned to see the Shadow Link.

"Let go of me!" Her voice had venom dripping off of it. Link's clone stood his ground.

"Are you mad? Do you want to die?" Shadow Link asked. "That barrier is made of dark magic. It can kill you if you try to break through!"

"It's a barrier. Barriers keep things away. Midna's past the barrier. You want to save Midna, don't you?"

Shadow Link released his grip on her arm and joined her in a frantic barrier-bashing

Ganondorf attacked first, kicking out with his foot. Link leapt out of the way. His foot landed awkwardly, and he felt himself fall to the ground. Then he tried to roll into a standing position.

When he was standing, Ganondorf was gone. He whirled around, but nobody was there. Then the ground shook violently and Ganondorf had landed, inches away from where Link had just leapt aside.

"What freak of nature jumps that high?" Shadow Link could be heard outside the barrier.

The knife lashed out, and Link barely dodged. While Ganondorf hit air, he threw a punch towards Ganondorf's face. Ganondorf lifted an arm to block him.

Now it was Link who hesitated as he took this into effect. The result was a boot connecting with his stomach, and the ground connecting with his back.

"Link! Don't loose to that bastard! Fight! Fight!" Shadow Link's hands were cut the first time he hit the barrier, and by the fifth time, they were bleeding on all of his knuckles.

Zelda decided not to hurt herself, and instead made as big a ball of light as possible. Throwing it took more effort, and it moved more slowly. Zelda had to concentrate very hard to keep it from hitting the ground.

Shadow Link, his hands now numb with pain and slick with blood, began kicking at the barrier. Zelda summoned more light.

"It's not working." She said, watching the ball crackle against the barrier. "It just gets absorbed!"

Shadow Link paused his attack. "This wasn't one of your better ideas, was it?" He asked, staring at his hands.

"Well, how else do you expect to help?"

"You shake some pom-poms around and cheer for Link?"

Zelda glared at him. "The more time you waste being comic relief, the more time we waste actually helping Link. And how the hell do you know about pom-poms?"

"Tough crowd. I don't see YOU coming up with any ideas."

"I just got one."

"Well, come on!" Shadow Link glanced frantically through the barrier. "He's not getting any healthier!"

"Try bashing your car into it."

"And hurt that beauty? Not happening."

"Well, would you rather you hit the barrier until your hands come off?"

"But my car…"

"DO YOU CARE ABOUT THAT DAMN CAR MORE THAN MIDNA?"

"No!"

"SO GET THE DAMN CAR TO SAVE MIDNA!"

Link felt disoriented and sick. He fought hard to stay focused.

"Had enough?" Ganondorf smirked.

"You're one to talk!"

Link leapt to the side when Ganondorf's fist lashed out, to be met by another fist, which he ducked under. Link noticed that Ganondorf was standing a lot more of the time than fighting, as if he had all the time in the world. It made Link furious.

Link was good at dodging, but Ganondorf had an amazing defense as well. So even if he was slow with attacks, wherever Link aimed a blow, Ganondorf was there to block it, as well as deal blows. Link had to find a way around him fast enough to take him by surprise. A few hits every now and then did damage, but it never seemed to be enough.

Link dodged another blow and threw out a fist. It was a well-aimed blow and hit Ganondorf's solar plexus; Ganondorf groaned. Holes erupted all over the barrier as his concentration skewed, but no holes were bigger than a fist.

Ganondorf stabbed with his knife. Link jumped backwards. It was too close.

"Even if this scratches you…" Ganondorf said, walking forward. "You'll die. So just hold still for a moment."

Ganondorf hurled the knife at him, it cut through the air, Link tried to move, and he did move, just to the side, a millimeter to the other side and he would have died, but he moved and the knife flew past him, through a hole in the barrier and out to where Zelda and Shadow Link where standing.

"Shit!" Shadow Link scrambled to the side.

The knife hit the shattered wall of the demolished lab.

Zelda picked it up. "Now how did this get through the barrier?" She asked.

"The- thing- how- why- almost-"Shadow Link gulped air. "That nearly KILLED ME!"

"Hush up. Forget about your car for a moment." Zelda walked back over to the barrier. She touched the knife to it; the knife went through. She cut along the barrier. The barrier stitched itself back together.

"Damn." Zelda mumbled. "No luck."

"Insensitive jerk. Let me see." Shadow Link took the knife. "Ah, laced with poisons and such. It cuts through the barrier because it is made like the barrier."

"You make little to no sense."

"It doesn't matter! IT gets through the barrier! We can use this! LINK!" Shadow Link called.

Link heard his brother call his name. Ganondorf was angry that he had lost his weapon, and his attacks were less thought out, but much more furious.

Link ducked to avoid a blow.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"Good. Are we distracting you?"

"A little!"

"It's for a good cause!"

"Jolly!"

"Here, Link, we have the knife!"

"You WHAT?" Link's side was hit. He fell to the ground.

"You're going to die, boy!" Ganondorf screamed.

"GREAT! Nice going, you brainless clone! He's going to die because of you!"

"Link, take the knife!"

Link was on his feet again, head spinning. Ganondorf seemed oblivious to their voices; he was just focused on the kill.

Link saw his brother- unfocused through the barrier, but recognizable- on his stomach, sliding the knife through a hole on the bottom so it would slide along the ground and not hit Link by accident, for if he threw it through a higher hole, the odds of Link getting hit were much, much higher.

Link trapped the weapon under his shoe and picked it up.

"NO!" Ganondorf lunged at him, and Link could see the insanity clearly in Ganondorf's eyes.

Link forgot about the knife and side-stepped, sticking out a foot. Ganondorf tripped. Link shot out a hand to block Ganondorf's fall, and then slammed him backwards and onto his back. Link's heart was pumping in his ears; his adrenaline was higher than ever. He twirled the knife in one hand and plunged the blade all the way into Ganondorf's chest.

Ganondorf screamed.

The barrier shattered.

"Link!" Zelda ran in. "Are you alright?"

"I'm alive…"

"HOLY HELL! THAT WAS FRIGGEN EPIC!" Shadow Link cried, arms in the air, as he ran at his brother.

"Hell isn't holy."

"I'm alive!" Link looked down at his hands, and then at his brother and Zelda. "ALIVE!"

"Ganondorf isn't!" Chimed Shadow Link.

They glanced at him.

"GODDAMN BASTARD! WON'T YOU F*CKING DIE YET?" Shadow Link screamed. Ganondorf was struggling to his feet.

Zelda gripped Link's arm. Ganondorf tried to walk forward, but he just stumble on the spot.

"Do not think this will end like this…"

Shadow Link hid behind his brother despite himself. A man that can live like that is utterly terrifying.

"Our history… your history…" Ganondorf grimaced. He glared at Shadow Link and then at Link. "Light and shadow… your fate will be written in blood!"

"Yeah, your blood!" Shadow Link called from behind Link.

"I don't think we're going to end here." Link said quietly. "Our fate is to leave this battle, and to live on. Yours…"

He paused.

"You're going to hell." Shadow Link said, grinning.

"The chemicals you laced that with will kill you in a few minutes." Zelda said. "We won't waste our time with you."

Ganondorf heaved a breath, and then another. Then his eyes rolled to white. He died standing up.

They stared at Ganondorf's corpse.

"Oh goddesses." Link said.

"What?" Zelda asked.

"It's over… He's dead. I think he's actually dead this time."

"Dead." Echoed Shadow Link.

"Dead." Echoed Zelda. She smiled.

"Yeah, we can gloat now." Shadow Link said. "I'll sta…rt…"

"Shadow?"

"Little brother?"

Shadow Link was staring off into the distance. Zelda and Link followed his gaze.

There, past the ruins, was Midna. She was still on the ground, but her shallow breathing could be seen.

Shadow Link was running.

"Wait!" Link followed him, and Zelda ran with Link.

Midna's lab coat, which had been singed and ripped, had been replenished and changed. It no longer was a lab coat. It was simply a cloak. Midna no longer belonged to the lab. And Link, who at that moment was rubbing his arms, realized with triumph that neither did he.

Shadow Link stood over her.

"Midna?"

There was no response. Shadow Link bent down.

"…Midna?"

Zelda bent down next to him.

"She's alive, isn't she?" Shadow Link asked.

Zelda took Midna's pulse. "Yes, she's still alive."

"Then… why is she…"

"She's weak." Link said.

"Extremely weak." Zelda said.

Link bent down as well, and realized that she looked weaker than she had been when she was in her cell.

She was dying.

"Midna…" He mouthed.

Shadow Link reached out with a shaking hand and touched her arm. Then he reached around her and pulled her close to him.

Link bowed his head slightly.

It was Zelda who spoke next.

"She… despite how hurt she was, or how scared she was… she helped us."

"But why…" Shadow Link asked quietly. "Did she sacrifice herself for us?"

"Without her we would have died." Zelda looked down.

"None of us know what her exact thoughts were." Link said. "She did this for us, and that's all we know."

"Is this our fault?" Shadow Link asked. "That she's… like this? Could we have stopped it?" All the time he spoke, he was holding Midna closer to himself.

"No. We have no control over anybody else's decisions." Zelda touched Shadow Link's shoulder, but he jolted away.

"But now she's suffering instead of us." He said. "It IS our fault!"

"It is NOT!" Zelda protested.

"Then it was a stupid decision!"

"That decision saved you life!" Link growled.

"So? It ended hers!"

"She's not dead yet!"

"She's _dying_!"

An abrupt silence followed. Shadow Link turned his head the other way.

"Midna, I'm sorry."

Link and Zelda could hardly hear him.

"I'm so… so, so, sorry…"

Zelda turned to Link.

They stared at each other.

"Shadow." Zelda said.

"What?" Shadow Link's voice had cracked.

Zelda reached out. Shadow Link jolted again, but then stopped.

Zelda took hold of Midna's hand and closed her eyes.

A small pinprick of light glided down her fingertips.

Shadow Link stared at her, wide-eyed. His eyes were lined with tears. More light flew out of Zelda.

Midna's skin absorbed the light like a starving man would eat.

Link stared as Midna's skin gained color, but then he noticed Zelda's color was fading.

"Zelda, stop!" He yelled, grabbing her shoulder. Zelda let go of Midna's arm as she was pulled back. Her eyes flew open.

Midna's eyes opened right as the sun started to rise.

**Will the story end? WILL THE STORY END?**

**No, it will not. Calm down, you gullible people, you. :) And scroll down.  
**

INTERMISSION!

Siera woke to a knocking on her door. She stumbled sleepily toward it.

She flung it open. A figure stood in the frame.

"Listen, sorry about today. Could you take care of a child until I find their homes?"

Siera's eyes adjusted. Jonathan was standing with two children three quarters her age.

She reached up and slapped him across the face.

"Jerk! Where were you?" She said, face reddening. "I waited, and yeah, sure, you didn't show, but you can't expect me to believe you are THIS late, can you?"

Jonathan bowed his head.

"I'm sorry. I had a make-up exam. I didn't know."

Malo and Luda exchanged glances.

"Explain the children."

Jonathan glanced down at Malo and Luda. "Um…"

Siera glared at him. "You'll get no help from me!"

She tried to shut the door, but Jonathan held it open.

"Is that a fact?" Jonathan asked.

"Yes."

Jonathan bent down and gave her a peck on the cheek.

"Is it still a fact?"

Siera smiled despite herself.

"Actually kiss me, and we'll see."

Malo and Luda exchanged glances again.

**Yes, well, you had to know what happened to them! The kids will re-unite with the rest of the people forced into working at the lab tomorrow, after a good night's rest. They will return to society together. And Jonathon and Siera will be very very happy. I'm sorry I'm too lazy to work out the details! Work them out yourselves if it bothers you.  
**

"You're alright." Link said. Midna stared at him and smiled.

"Thank Zelda for that." She said.

Zelda smiled back. Tears were streaming down her face. "It's a pleasure to help you."

"What about you?" Midna asked, looking at Shadow Link. She reached up and touched his face, which was also wet with tears. "What happened to all of your talking?"

He stared down at her.

"You know, you are really, really, beautiful."

Midna smiled and pulled herself into a sitting position, hand gripping Shadow Link's shoulder for support.

"I honestly wish I could say the same."

Shadow Link turned red.

"That's odd." Midna said. "You can tell a woman she's beautiful with a straight face, but you blush at an insult."

"It's a flaw." Link said.

"Oh, what about you?" Zelda asked. "You have the worst flaw- do you know how many times you nearly died?"

She jabbed her finger at his chest.

Link wiped her tears off her cheeks.

"You can live with that, can't you?"

"I'll try, but you'd better."

"Stop crying. You're being a disgrace." Midna said.

"That's a flaw, too, you know." Shadow Link said. "Ah, damnit. I'm sorry."

"Ah, your killing wit has returned." Link smiled.

"We have to get the hell away from these ruins." Shadow Link replied.

"Wait, wait… just give me a minute." Midna wrapped her hands around Shadow Link's neck. "This can't wait."

Zelda smiled.

"Should we give you some privacy?" She asked.

"Sure, I guess."

"We're giving you some privacy." Zelda stood up and took Link's hand. As they walked out of eye and earshot, Midna and Shadow Link's voices could be heard.

"You're not a terrible kisser, you know."

"Hmm."

"You're cute when you're angry."

"Hmm."

"We're going to kiss in front of Ganondorf's corpse."

"Ah, gloat-kissing. I like it."

"It's going to be hot."

Zelda smiled. She reached over and took Link's hand in hers. He didn't flinch at the contact.

"You know, I can't believe it's over." He said.

"Me neither." Zelda said, looking up at him and smiling.

"It's like a dream to me."

"Me too."

"AM I dreaming?"

"No." Zelda said.

"Good."

"I think this is far enough." Zelda said. "I don't want to get separated because we went too far and couldn't find them again."

"Alright. Let's wait here."

Link sat down on the ground and leaned against a collapsed wall. Zelda joined him.

"When do you think we should go back?"

"Where, to them? About a day."

Zelda smiled. "I meant to civilization."

Link looked at her for a moment. "Never."

Zelda laughed and stared at the sky turning lighter.

"You know, I'm glad you can laugh." Link said. "After all that happened."

"It's because I'm happy." Zelda said, leaning on his shoulder.

"I am, too."

"You make me happy."

Link smiled and closed his eyes.

"You make me happy, too."

"How happy?"

"I really like you happy."

"Oh." Zelda felt her heart begin to pound. Link had said those words without the hesitation he normally spoke with. "I really like you, too. I... I love you."

Link opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her.

"I love you, too."

It was silent for a few more heartbeats.

Link closed the gap in between their lips.

The End.

**IT WAS A FINALE. IT WAS A FINALE ALL ALONG.  
**

**YAYYY HAPPY ENDINGS! :D I'm sorry if you don't like the romance. I like the romance, so I put it in... :) **

**I ADMIT IT OPENLY. I re-played the end of TP while writing this, and I did base the dialogue during the death of Ganon on the one in the game. ****In fact, I based this boss battle on the final boss battle of the game. ****I DO NOT OWN ZELDA. ****I don't really feel that my story is unoriginal because of it, I just sort of feel like it's one big inside joke. I try to keep my stories original while staying true to the games. If you don't like it, I can't change that and I'm sorry. I really do wish I wrote an ending you will really love, you picky internet people, you. Love you all. :D  
**

**Well, Um, this is my first successful story on the internet... thank you very much for your support, internet people! I'm sorry the story has to end.  
**

**Well, this isn't the last of me! If the internet people really want her to, El might write more fanfic... :3  
**

**Thank you and peace! ^-^  
**


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